Women's Volleyball 9/26/2012 10:34:00 AM Tyler Madsen, Truman Athletics

Volleyball Week 5 Notes: vs. MWSU | vs. NWMSU

Weekly Schedule:
Friday, Sept. 28 – vs. Missouri Western – 7:00 pm – Kirksville, Mo.
Live Stats | Live Video

Saturday, Sept. 29 – vs. Northwest Missouri – 6:00 pm – Kirksville, Mo.
Live Stats | Live Video

PDF Notes

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - Following a 3-0 sweep of non-conference opponent Quincy (Ill.) on Tuesday night, the Truman volleyball team will host Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri this Friday and Saturday in Pershing Arena.

The Bulldogs (10-4, 3-2 MIAA) are in search of a 3-0 week of play and got off to a solid start in that quest with a sweep of future-GLVC foe Quincy on Tuesday night. Truman held QU to a -.054 hitting mark and pounded a .291 mark of its own in the match.

However, two MIAA teams continuing to improve visit Kirksville this weekend, as Missouri Western (8-6, 2-3 MIAA) and Northwest Missouri (8-4, 4-1 MIAA) come to Pershing on Friday and Saturday. Both teams were also in action on Tuesday, with the Missouri Western falling in four sets in a non-conference match at Rockhurst (Mo.) while Northwest fell in four at home to 3^rd-ranked Washburn.

Truman entered the week fourth in the MIAA in hitting percentage, raising that mark to .219 after Tuesday night's match, behind senior Megan Sharpe's .350 attack line and 3.09 kills/set. The three-time AVCA all-American is also leading the squad with 1.22 blocks/set, good for second in the MIAA.

Meanwhile, sophomore Allie Brak has continued her hot start to the 2012 campaign, averaging a team-high 3.38 kills/set, ranking her eighth in the MIAA, while also adding 2.73 digs/set and a .199 hitting percentage. Freshmen Ali Patterson (1.90 k/s) and Abby Heise (1.89 k/s) also have contributed on the offensive side, with senior Emily Briseno (1.50 k/s; 0.83 b/s) adding nearly two points per set of her own.

Sophomore Meghan Zimmerman has served as a quadruple-threat, averaging nearly a kill per set and hitting .289 while leading the squad with 9.37 assists per set. She ranks third on the team with 2.71 digs/set and has a team-best 21 aces. Fellow sophomore Abby Moser continues to lead the back line with 224 total digs (4.31/set) on the season.

The Bulldogs are coached by Ben Briney, who, in his fourth season at the helm, has compiled an overall record of 79-39.

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.

Bulldogs Add Bite to Toughest Region in Nation:
The Central region is unquestionably the toughest region in the country, as evidenced by holding the top four spots in the AVCA top-25 coaches' poll. In addition, the region has seven teams in the top-10 and eight total in the top-25, with two others (including Truman) receiving votes. The MIAA is represented by No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney, No. 3 Washburn and No. 8 Central Missouri, while the NSIC has five of its teams in the top-25, led by No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State, No. 4 Concordia-St. Paul, No. 6 Minnesota- Duluth and No. 10 Minnesota State-Mankato.

All four of Truman's losses this season have come against teams currently ranked in the top-10, with a pair of five-set losses to WU and UCM in conference play as well as three-set losses to UMD and MSU-M in non-conference action.

On the flip side, Truman is 10-0 against teams not ranked in the top-25 at match time. The Bulldogs have just two matches currently scheduled the rest of the way (at UNK; vs. UCM) against teams ranked in the top-25.

Checking Out the Competition:
Missouri Western “Griffons”?(8-6, 2-3?MIAA)
After opening the season with five straight wins, Missouri Western has gone just 3-6 in nine matches since, most recently dropping a four-set decision on Tuesday night at Rockhurst.

The Griffons are hitting .178 on the season, slightly lower than their opponents' cumulative mark of .180. Junior S/OH Stephanie Hattey is the floor general for the Griffs, leading the team with 2.19 kills and 6.06 assists per set, while also averaging 3.00 digs and ranking third on the team in blocking with 23 total. Freshman Jessie Thorup and sophomore Amanda Boender also average more than two kills per set.

Truman holds a 43-21 lead in the all-time series, including a split last season. Both matches went five sets, with the teams winning on their own home courts.

Cory Frederick is in his fourth season at MWSU and has a record of 45-62 at the school.

Northwest Missouri “Bearcats”?(8-4, 4-1 MIAA)
Picked to finish seventh in the MIAA preseason coaches' poll, Northwest Missouri has gotten out to a fast start in MIAA play, posting a 4-1 league record through the first two weeks of conference action. The Bearcats were 4-0 until a four-set home loss to No. 3 Washburn on Tuesday night.

The 'Cats are hitting just .167 on the season – lower than their opponents' cumulative mark of .175 – but make it up with tough serving (1.8 aces/set) and the arms of sophomore Brooke Bartosh (3.50 kills/set; .268) and Abby Graves (2.65 kills/set).

Truman is 56-26-1 all-time against Northwest, including a 1-1 mark last season. The Bulldogs lost in five at NWMSU before rebounding with a 3-1 win at home late in the season.

Amy Phelps, who was the program's assistant until former head coach Jessica Rinehart left the program in July, is in her first season as a collegiate head coach.

Up Next:
The Bulldogs take the early portion of next week off before traveling to the Washburn Lady Blues Fall Classic for the seventh consecutive season. While there, the Bulldogs will face four GAC programs, starting with East Central (Okla.) and Harding (Ark.) on Friday, Oct. 5, before battling Southwestern Oklahoma State and Southeastern Oklahoma State on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Truman has had incredible success at the Fall Classic, going 22-2 in the first six seasons.

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