Volleyball Week 4 Notes: at MSSU, at UCM

Weekly Schedule:
Friday, Sept. 21 – at Missouri Southern – 7:00 pm – Joplin, Mo.
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Saturday, Sept. 22 – at #8 Central Missouri – 7:00 pm – Warrensburg, Mo.
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PDF Notes

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - After opening MIAA play with a 2-1 record last week, the Truman volleyball team returns to the road this weekend for a pair of 7:00 pm matches on Friday and Saturday at Missouri Southern and Central Missouri.

The Bulldogs (8-3, 2-1 MIAA) travel to Joplin on Friday night to face the MSSU Lions, who are still in search of their first win of 2012 after going 0-10 through the first three weeks of the season. Then, on Saturday, Truman makes a stop in Warrensburg to renew a long-time rivalry with Central Missouri, currently the nation's 8^th-ranked program. The Jennies are also 8-3 entering the week but are 2-0 in MIAA play after the first week of league action.

Truman kicked off MIAA play last week with a 3-2 win at conference-newcomer Lindenwood on Tuesday night before splitting decisions with Washburn (loss 2-3) and Southwest Baptist (win 3-0) during the weekend. For the week, the Bulldogs hit .197 and held opponents to just a .162 mark, averaging 2.38 blocks per set. In the team's loss to Washburn, Truman tied the third-most blocks in program history with 19 blocks, including eight solo rejections at the net.

Senior Megan Sharpe continues to lead the Bulldogs with 4.17 points/set, while sophomore Allie Brak is right behind at 4.08 pt/s. Both are averaging more than 3.2 kills per set, with Brak adding 2.65 digs/set and Sharpe leading the MIAA with 1.29 blocks/set.

The Bulldogs are coached by Ben Briney, who, in his fourth season at the helm, has compiled an overall record of 77-38 (.670).

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.

Checking Out the Competition:
Missouri Southern “Lions” (0-10, 0-2 MIAA)
The Missouri Southern Lions enter week four of the season looking for their first win, having gone 0-8 in early non-conference action before dropping straight set decisions at Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri last week. The Lions travel to Pittsburg State on Wednesday night for a non-conference match before hosting Truman on Friday in their home opener.

The Lions are hitting just .096 on the season while allowing opponents to connect at a .250 mark. Katie Politte (2.85 kills/set) is the team's offensive leader, while Abby Finder has served as the team's setter and averaged 6.62 assists/set.

Truman and Missouri Southern will be meeting for the 51^st time when they play this Friday night, with the Bulldogs holding a 34-16 all-time lead. Truman won both matches last season by 3-1 scores.

Trish Knight is in her 2^nd season as the program's head coach and has a 5-35 overall record. She was previously a coach at Texas Tech and Missouri State-West Plains.

#8 Central Missouri “Jennies” (8-3, 2-0 MIAA)
Central Missouri finds itself highly-ranked once again after opening the 2012 season with an identical 8-3 mark as Truman. Both programs have seen all three of their losses come against teams listed in the nation's top-15 of the AVCA poll. The Jennies opened MIAA play last week with straight set wins against Southwest Baptist and Lindenwood and will travel to Missouri Western on Friday night before hosting Truman on Saturday.

The Jennies have played a ton of sets already this season, having gone to a decisive fifth frame in six matches – winning four and losing two. UCM is hitting .238 as a team, although opponents have been able to hit at a .200 mark, as both the Jennies and their opponents have averaged 13 kills per set on the season.

UCM has been balanced offensively, with six different players averaging at least 1.7 kills per set, led by Bradye Peniston (3.33 k/s, .368 atk %). Julia Bates returns as the team's setter (9.98 assists/set), and Annie Reilly has taken over at libero and is averaging 4.22 digs/set.

Friday will mark the 90^th meeting all-time between the Bulldogs and Jennies, with UCM holding a 56-30-3 series lead. The Jennies won both meetings last season.

Flip Piontek is in his fourth season as the Jennies head coach and 27^th overall with the program after serving as the top assistant for 23 years. He has an overall head coaching record of 104-18.

SOS … not an Issue:
The Bulldog volleyball program has perennially challenged itself with one of the nation's toughest schedules, and 2012 has proven to be no different with this weekend marking the fourth straight that the program took on a team ranked in the top-15 of the AVCA top-25 at the time of the match.

Overall, the 11 teams Truman has faced so far in 2012 have a combined record of 63-41 (.606), including three teams with ten wins.

Bulldogs Amongst MIAA's Elite:
Megan Sharpe, Allie Brak, Meghan Zimmerman and Abby Moser all are listed in the MIAA's top-10 of individual categories through the first three weeks of the season.

Sharpe ranks first in blocks (1.29), fifth in hitting percentage (.354) and eighth in kills (3.23), while Zimmerman is listed both in assists (9.29; fourth) and aces (0.37; ninth). Allie Brak is second in the league in kills (3.62), and Moser ranks eighth in digs (4.37).

Up Next:
The Bulldogs play three times next week, beginning with a non-conference home match with future GLVC-foe Quincy on Tuesday (Sept. 25) at 7:00 pm before hosting both Missouri Western on Friday, Sept. 28 at 7:00 pm and Northwest Missouri on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 6:00 pm.

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