Volleyball Week 10 Notes: vs. MSSU | vs. #6 UCM

Weekly Schedule:
Friday, Nov. 2 – vs. Missouri Southern – Kirksville, Mo. – 7:00 pm
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Saturday, Nov. 3 – vs. #6 Central Missouri – Kirksville, Mo. – 3:00 pm
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Twitter: @TrumanAthletics || @TrumanVB

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - The final four matches of the 2012 regular season are ahead for the 15^th-ranked Truman volleyball squad, and the Bulldogs will cross off two of them this weekend in home matches against Missouri Southern and No. 6 Central Missouri.

The Bulldogs (24-4, 12-2 MIAA) have won 15 straight matches and will host the MSSU Lions at 7pm on Friday before welcoming the 6^th-ranked UCM Jennies at 3pm on Saturday in the final two home matches of the 2012 regular season. There is a full docket of special events this weekend, including autograph night and military appreciation night on Friday before “Blackout Match for Senior Day” on Saturday afternoon.

With a win either night, the Bulldogs will lock up a home MIAA quarterfinal match on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 7:00 pm.

Truman will be looking to avenge its last loss – which came back on Sept. 22 – as the 'Dogs fell in five sets at UCM. Since then, Truman has been on a roll, winning 15 straight, the most in a row since 2006, behind seven sweeps and seven four-set victories. Overall on the year, Truman is hitting .242 (third in the MIAA) and holding opponents to just a .136 mark. The Bulldogs are averaging 13.4 kills/set, 17.0 digs/set and 2.0 blocks/set, while limiting the opposition to 10.9 k/s, 15.9 d/s and 1.8 b/s.

Sophomore OH Allie Brak leads the MIAA with a 3.67 kills/set mark, adding 2.78 digs/set for a total of 4.15 points per frame. Three-time AVCA all-American MB Megan Sharpe is posting her best season yet statistically, averaging 3.12 kills/set, hitting .338 and adding 1.23 blocks/set.

Also making waves offensively have been a pair of freshmen, OPP Abby Heise (2.24 k/s; .306%) and OH Ali Patterson (2.17 k/s; 1.19 d/s), with senior MB Emily Briseno adding 1.53 k/s and 0.84 b/s while hitting .248.

Sophomore S Meghan Zimmerman has been putting up all-conference numbers in her first season as the team's primary setter, averaging 10.38 assists and 2.79 digs per set, with fellow sophomore, L Abby Moser, leading the back line at 4.29 digs/set.

The Bulldogs are coached by Ben Briney, who, in his fourth season at the helm, has compiled an overall record of 93-39.

Weekly Recap with Coach Briney:
To watch this week's weekly recap with coach Ben Briney, click the video link below. If the video is not appearing, please access the full weekly notes at TrumanBulldogs.com.

Following the Bulldogs:
Full coverage of Truman volleyball is available online at TrumanBulldogs.com, including results, upcoming match information and weekly updates.

When available, links to free online live stats are added to the Bulldog volleyball schedule page as well as the top of each weekly update.

Keep up with the Bulldogs by tracking in-match updates (when available). Follow Truman Athletics on Twitter (@TrumanAthletics). Also be sure to sign up for Text Caster and Newsletter updates on the TrumanBulldogs.com homepage.

Senior Day Saturday:
The Bulldog volleyball program will be recognizing four student-athletes who are participating in their final seasons as members of the Truman team. Heather Hargadine, Allyson Stellmach, Megan Sharpe and Emily Briseno will be recognized in a pre-match ceremony.

Bulldogs Move up Two Spots in AVCA Top-25:
Another week, and another jump in the AVCA top-25 coaches' poll for the Truman volleyball squad, moving up to No. 15 after a 2-0 week last week against Lindenwood and Southwest Baptist. Truman has been listed in the top-25 159 times since the 2000 season, one of the highest totals in all of Division II.

Truman is one of four MIAA teams to be listed in the poll, joining No. 3 Washburn, No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 6 Central Missouri. The Bulldogs are one of nine teams from the Central region in the poll, as the Northern Sun Conference has representation from No. 1 Southwest Minnesota State, No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul, No. 5 Minnesota-Duluth, No. 16 Wayne (Neb.) State and No. 20 Minnesota State.

With the Central region only selecting eight teams, it's highly possible that a Central region team currently listed in the top-20 in the nation will not qualify for the national tournament.

However, the AVCA poll has no bearing on tournament selection, with the NCAA's first set of regional polls not set to debut until Thursday, Nov. 1.

Chasing Career Marks:
Two seniors and two sophomores are making noise on the all-time career charts. Their numbers are outlined below.

Megan Sharpe-
Kills – 1,378 (7^th) – Next: Jessica Sears (1,644 – 2001-04)
Hitting Percentage - .342 (1^st) – 2^nd: Allie Cherven (.317 – 2006-08)
10+ Kill Matches – 73 (7^th) – Next: Two players (84)
Blocks – 474 (4^th) – Next: Allie Cherven (3^rd - 505)
Sets Played – 474 (9^th) – 8^th: Monica Marlowe (479 – 1999-2002)

Emily Briseno-
Blocks – 353 (9^th) – Next: Micaela Walter (364 – 2002-05)

Abby Moser-
Digs – 1,141 (NR) – 10^th: Janelle Zehr (1,304 – 1997-00)
Digs/set – 4.88 (1^st) – 2^nd: Casey Bruno (4.50 – 2007-10)
10+ Dig Matches – 55 (NR) – 10^th: Satoko Miyame (57 – 1990-93)
20+ Dig Matches – 26 (2^nd) – 1^st: Whitney Boehler (28 – 2005-08)
30+ Dig Matches – 3 (T-1^st)

Meghan Zimmerman-
Assists – 1,676 (10^th) – Next: Kelsey Wackerman (1,788 – 2003-06)

Checking Out the Competition:
Missouri Southern “Lions” (0-26, 0-14 MIAA)
Missouri Southern enters the week having won just nine sets all season, still in search of its first win of 2012. Dating back to last season, the Lions have lost 33 straight and are set for a two-game road trip this weekend at Truman and Southwest Baptist.

MSSU is hitting .098 as a team on the season while allowing opponents to connect at a .268 mark. Katie Politte has been the team's top offensive player, averaging 2.67 kills per set, while adding 2.48 digs per set defensively. The squad is 0-15 away from Joplin this season, including 0-8 in true road matches.

Truman swept the Lions 3-0 on Sept. 21 in Joplin, hitting .321 with eight kills each for Megan Sharpe and Allie Brak. The Bulldogs hold a 35-16 all-time lead in the series, including a pair of wins last season. Trish Knight is in her second season at the helm of the Southern program with a record of 5-51.

No. 6 Central Missouri “Jennies” (21-4, 13-1 MIAA)
One of the MIAA's most storied rivalries will meet for the final scheduled time as league members, when the Bulldogs and Jennies get together for the 91^st time on Saturday afternoon. UCM is already 1-0 this week, having downed Northwest Missouri 3-1 on Wednesday night and will host Missouri Western on Friday night.

The Jens have hung out in the AVCA top-10 all season, reaching No. 6 this week behind a current five-match win streak. Hitting .236 as a team, UCM has been led by senior MB Bradye Peniston, who is averaging 3.29 kills and 0.96 blocks per set, while hitting .356. The team is overcoming the departure of OH Aubri Renshaw, who is no longer listed on the roster after averaging 2.59 kills and 2.51 digs per set through the team's first 21 matches of the season. Freshman OH Carly Sojka (2.79 k/s; 3.10 d/s) and Hillary McCormick (1.98 k/s, 0.91 b/s) also contribute heavily to the Jennie scoring.

Truman's last loss came at the hands of UCM, back on Sept. 22, as UCM rallied to win sets four and five. Four Bulldogs tallied 13 kills each.

Flip Piontek is in his fourth season as the Jennies' head coach and 27^th overall with the program after serving as an assistant for 23 years. He has an overall head coaching record of 117-19.

Up Next:
The final week of the regular season sends the Bulldogs back on the road, traveling to pair of potential MIAA quarterfinal opponents. Truman tackles Emporia State (16-9, 6-6 MIAA) on Friday night before facing Northwest Missouri (14-13, 8-6 MIAA) on Saturday.

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