Full Notes (PDF)
Season Stats (PDF)
Week At-a-Glance:
The second half of MIAA play commences this week for the 19th-ranked Truman volleyball team, starting with back-to-back matches against teams ranked in the top-10 of the AVCA coaches’ poll. The Bulldogs (18-8, 6-4 MIAA) travel to No. 7 Emporia State on Wednesday night before returning home for weekend showdowns with No. 9 Washburn on Friday and Fort Hays State on Saturday.
Following the Team:
Bulldog box scores and match recaps will be available following each match on Truman’s Web site: gobulldogs.truman.edu.
Free live stats will be available through Truman’s Sports Information office, while live video will be hosted by B2 Networks. Links to both will be available on Truman’s Athletics Web site.
Bulldog Coaching Staff:
Ben Briney is in his first season as the head coach of the Bulldog volleyball program following a four-year stint as Truman’s top assistant from 2005-2008. As a head coach, he has an 18-8 career record following a 137-22 mark during his four seasons as an assistant.
He is assisted by Megan Wargo, who is in her first season at Truman after spending the past four years as the assistant coach at Div. II Lees-McRae (N.C.) College.
About the Bulldogs:
- Truman continues to creep higher in the AVCA coaches’ top-25 poll, moving up one spot to No. 19 this week after spending last week at No. 20.
- The Bulldogs found themselves sitting sixth in the first NCAA South Central regional poll and were one of six MIAA teams ranked in the top-eight.
- Truman is hitting .203 as a team, up five points from where it stood last week. The average was boosted thanks to back-to-back .250+ hitting efforts on Friday and Saturday.
- Freshman Megan Sharpe leads the squad in kills (292), kills/set (3.07), hitting percentage (.367), blocks (73) and blocks/set (0.77).
- Senior Lauren Graybeal ranks second in kills (257), kills/set (2.50), blocks (56) and blocks/set (0.54).
- Junior Ashley Petak surpassed the 2,500 assist mark last weekend and now has 2,511 all-time.
- Sharpe and Petak were Truman’s nominees for MIAA Offensive Player and Specialist of the Week for their play last week. Sharpe averaged 3.17 kills, 1.83 blocks and 4.17 points per set, while Petak averaged 6.43 assists and 2.43 digs per set and picked up her 11th assist-dig double-double of the season.
- Junior libero Casey Bruno leads all Bulldogs with 396 total digs (4.60/set).
Scouting the Opposition:
#7 Emporia State “Hornets”
Top Offense: Arica Shepard (4.31 k/s, .345); Brittney Miller (3.37 k/s, .324)
Top Setter: Ting Liu (994 assists, 11.83/set)
Top Defense: Amy Byfield (368 digs, 4.38/set); Brianne Boner (56 blocks)
Head Coach: Bing Xu (122-39, fifth season)
#9 Washburn “Lady Blues”
Top Offense: Mollie Lacy (3.14 k/s, .428); Breanna Lewis (2.57 k/s, .379)
Top Setter: Kate Hampson (953 assists, 10.95/set)
Top Defense: Molly Smith (340 digs, 3.95/set); Lacy (55 blocks)
Head Coach: Chris Herron (237-47, 8th season at WU; 312-76, 11th career)
Fort Hays State “Tigers”
Top Offense: Lilian Rezende (3.84 k/s, .199); Lydia Karnopp (2.76 k/s, .197)
Top Setter: Whitney Liggett (576 assists, 6.78/set); Lindsey Larson (4.07/s)
Top Defense: Tracie Hileman (369 digs, 4.34/set); Rebecca Mausbach (60 b)
Head Coach: Kurt Kohler (6-18, first season)
Series Info:
Truman vs. Emporia State (Truman leads all-time series, 31-12).
This season: Emporia won, 3-1, on Sept. 16 in Kirksville.
Truman vs. Washburn (Truman leads all-time series, 35-9).
This season: Washburn won, 3-1, on Sept. 18 in Topeka, Kan.
Truman vs. Fort Hays (Truman leads all-time series, 7-0).
This season: Truman won, 3-1, on Sept. 19 in Hays, Kan.
Up Next:
Truman will cut the remainder of the regular season in half next week by playing three of its final six scheduled matches. The Bulldogs will host Southwest Baptist on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7 pm before traveling to southwest Missouri during the weekend for matches at Missouri Southern on Friday, Oct. 30 and Pittsburg State on Saturday, Oct. 31.