Women's Volleyball | 9/14/2023 1:46:00 PM
Games 9-10
Emporia State Hornets (6-2, 0-0 MIAA)
vs. Fort Hays State Tigers (6-3, 0-0 MIAA)
Friday, Sept. 15 • 6:00 p.m. • White Auditorium • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: ESU leads 52-32 •
Last Meeting: FHSU 3, ESU 0 (10/4/22)
vs. Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (9-0,0-0 MIAA)
Saturday, Sept. 16 • 3:00 p.m. • White Auditorium • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: UNK leads 46-10 •
Last Meeting: UNK 3, ESU 0 (10/11/22)
Up Next: at Central Missouri
Friday, Sep. 22 • Multipurpose Building • Warrensburg, Mo.
HORNET HOME OPENER
Emporia State looks to build on their 6-2 start in nonconference action as they begin MIAA action with a pair of home matches against Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hornets traveled to Rolla, Missouri for the Missouri S&T Tournament as they kept rolling to their second consecutive 3-1 weekend to begin the season. Despite falling to the host Miners, Emporia State won their final three matches, including with a pair of 3-0 sweeps to close out the tournament.
THE COACHES
Ken Murczek is 3-1 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 I level, with head coaching tenures at Wake Forest and North Texas, along with multiple assistant positions including the University of Kansas.
Jessica Wood-Atkins is 45-80 in sixth season at FHSU. She is 4-4 against the Hornets.
Rick Squiers is 738-102 in his 25th season at UNK. He is 25-0 against the Hornets.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 6-2 through nonconference action and are outhitting opponents .225 to .186 through the first eight matches.
Sandora Sasaki is leading the Hornets with 111 kills with 3.96 kills per set while also earning MIAA Offensive Player of the Week in the first week of the season. In the middle,
Winny Harris and
McKenya Sorrells have 42 and 41 kills respectively while Sorrells ranks fifth in the MIAA in hitting percentage. At setter,
Brailee Bogle has 253 assists with more than nine assists per set.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State is 6-3 on the season and are coming off a 4-0 performance at the Tiger Classic this past weekend. Similar to the Hornets, the Tigers are also outhitting opponents with a team hitting percentage of .192 this season. Sophomore Gracie Rains is leading the Tiger attack with 100 kills which currently ranks fifth in the MIAA. Riley Tinder has also added 82 kills which is tied for ninth in the MIAA.
SERIES HISTORY
Emporia State leads the all-time series 52-32 against Fort Hays State.
SCOUTING THE LOPERS
Nebraska-Kearney is 9-0 this season and currently ranked seventh in the latest AVCA Division II Poll. The Lopers are coming off a 28-6 season that saw an appearance in the MIAA Tournament Championship match as well as the Central Regional. As a team, Nebraska-Kearney is hitting .307 which leads the MIAA while having a trio of players recording more than three kills per set with junior Asha Regier leading the way with 82 kills on the season. At setter, Peyton Neff leads the way with 315 assists following a First Team All-MIAA campaign last season.
SERIES HISTORY
Nebraska-Kearney leads the all-time series 46-10.
UP NEXT
The Hornets will travel to the Show Me State for their first road MIAA tests of the season. Emporia State will first travel to Warrensburg, Mo. for a match against Central Missouri on Friday, Sep. 22 before traveling to Joplin, Mo. to take on Missouri Southern on Saturday, Sep. 23.
