Women's Volleyball | 11/6/2023 9:12:00 AM
Game 27
Emporia State Hornets (12-14, 6-12 MIAA)
at Washburn Ichabods (15-10, 9-9 MIAA)
Monday, Nov. 6 • 6:00 p.m. • Lee Arena • Topeka, Kan.
Series Record: ESU leads 64-47 •
Last Meeting: WU 3, ESU 0 (10/10/23)
Up Next: at Newman
Thursday, Nov. 9 • Wichita, Kan.
TIME TO TUSSLE
Emporia State begins the final week of the regular season with the Topeka edition of the Turnpike Tussle.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hornets took down Pittsburg State 3-1 before falling to #17 Central Oklahoma in three sets.
THE COACHES
Ken Murczek is 12-14 in his first season at ESU. Murczek is coming off great success at NAIA Oregon Tech where he brought the Owls to their first National Tournament in school history. Murczek is no stranger to the big stage, as he has coached at the NCAA Division I level, with head coaching tenures at Wake Forest and North Texas, along with an assistant coaching position at the University of Kansas.
Chris Herron is 601-131 in his 22nd season at WU. He is 34-10 against the Hornets.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 12-14 this season and 6-12 in the MIAA. As a team, Emporia State ranks sixth in the MIAA in hitting percentage. and seventh in total kills and blocks this season. The Hornet attack is led by
Sandora Sasaki who has 443 kills with 4.76 kills per set. Sasaki has been named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week four times this season and leads the MIAA in both kills and kills per set.
McKenya Sorrells also has nearly two kills per set with 171 total kills and 1.97 per set.
Brailee Bogle has made a strong impact in her first season with the Hornets as she has 864 assists with 9.19 assists per set which ranks sixth in the MIAA. Emporia State is currently in eighth place in the MIAA standings as the Hornets are looking to qualify for the MIAA Tournament for the first time since the 2018 season.
SCOUTING WASHBURN
The Ichabods are 15-10 this season and 9-9 in the MIAA as they are in sixth place, just one game behind Northwest Missouri for fifth. Washburn ranks top five in the MIAA in most categories including points, assists, opponent kills and blocks. Washburn's attack is led by a pair of hitters, Jalyn Stevenson and Rachel Schwensen who have 290 and 247 kills respectively on the season which both rank in the top 15 in the MIAA. Stevenson is fourth in the MIAA with 3.13 kills per set with Schwensen ranking fifth with a .301 hitting percentage. At setter, Corinna McMullen and Sydney Conner combined for over ten assists per set on the season. Defensively, Taylor Rottinghaus has 360 digs for 4.24 digs per set which ranks fifth in the MIAA.
LAST TIME VS. THE ICHABODS
The Hornets hosted the Ichabods from White Auditorium earlier this season and were unable to control the Washburn attack as Emporia State fell in three sets.
Sandora Sasaki recorded a match-high 15 kills.
SERIES HISTORY
Emporia State leads the all-time series 64-47 against Washburn.
UP NEXT
Emporia State wraps up the the regular season with a road matchup against Newman on Thursday, November 9 from Wichita, Kan. as they will look to clinch a spot in the MIAA Tournament.
