Jennies vs. Missouri Southern
Tuesday, October 29 | 7:00 p.m.
Last Week
The Jennies were dealt their first loss in their only match last week against Emporia State (14-7, 5-4 MIAA). Central Missouri was able to take the first set of the match 25-20, before dropping the following three sets 20-25, 22-25, 28-30.
Central Missouri had 61 kills in the match, with 20 in the final set of the match, along with 83 digs, and 57 assists. As a team they had 10 total blocks, with 20 total block assists, their highest total this season.
Later this Week
Later this week the Jennies will take on Southwest Baptist (14-8, 4-5 MIAA) and Lindenwood (8-15, 5-4 MIAA) for the second time this season. The last time Central Missouri took on Southwest Baptist, the Jennies won in three sets, holding the Bearcats to under 20 points in two of the three sets played. The Jennies last saw Lindenwood in St. Charles, where the Lions were able to win only one set over the Jennies. Central Missouri took the match 3-1.
Jennies in the Polls
Central Missouri volleyball (22-1, 8-1 MIAA) falls two spots in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll after being defeated for the first time this season by Emporia State. The Jennies are now No. 5 in the poll.
The Jennies had 981 total points in this week's poll. Central Missouri is still the highest ranked MIAA squad. Nebraska-Kearney came in at No. 7, and Washburn at No. 11 this week.
Concordia-St. Paul was again ranked No. 1 with 1200 points, and all 48 first place votes.
MIAA & NCAA Rankings
The Jennies are ranked in the top fifty teams in four NCAA categories, making the top five in two categories. Central Missouri also takes the top spot in four of seven MIAA categories. The team is ranked seventh in the MIAA in blocks, totaling 153 blocks with 1.96 per set, and nineth in digs, with 1218 total and 15.62 per set.
The Jennies lead the MIAA in serving aces, 140 total 1.79 per set, and are also 44th in the NCAA. The Jens are first in the MIAA in assists, they've totaled 1058 assists this season and average 13.56 per set. That average also places them seventh of all the NCAA teams. The Jennies have the highest hitting percentage in the MIAA, at .296, and are fourth in the NCAA. The final category that the Jennies lead the MIAA in is kills. Central Missouri has 1181 total kills and 15.14 on average, again putting the team at second in the NCAA.
Central Missouri Jennies
Julia Bates, senior setter, has 881 assists this season, and is currently fifth in the Jennies All Time Assists Leaders, after starting the season in eighth. Bates averages 11.29 assists per set, the highest average in the MIAA, and 13th in the NCAA. She is also second in the MIAA and 45th in the NCAA in aces, with 36 so far this season. Bates has been named MIAA Specialist of the Week twice this season, for the weeks of Sept. 9 and Oct. 7.
Another senior on the squad,
Taylor Goodness, is ranking in on a national level. The outside hitter has 309 kills this season, the highest total in the MIAA and 20th in the NCAA. Goodness has a .305 hitting percentage. Goodness was named MIAA Hitter of the Week for the week of Sept. 9. Last week Goodness had 27 kills, in four sets.
Libero,
Annie Reilly, had 33 digs and two serving aces against Emporia State. Reilly has 418 digs this season, ranking her third in the MIAA, and 27th in the NCAA. She is also first in the MIAA and 15th in the NCAA in serving aces, totaling 47 this season. Reilly was named MIAA Specialist of the Week for the week of Sept. 30.
Carly Sojka, sophomore outside hitter, was named MIAA Hitter of the Week for the week of Oct. 7. That was the first time Sojka was names MIAA Player of the Week in her collegiate career. Sojka is second on the Jennies in kills, with 224 total, and tenth in the MIAA. She is also third on the squad in serving aces, 16 total, and second in digs, 2.22 per set. Sojka has recorded four double-doubles this season, the most on the team. Her last double-double was last match, with 12 kills and 13 digs.
Redshirt freshman and middle hitter,
Haley Thompson, has the second highest hitting percentage in the MIAA and 19th highest in the NCAA, at .363. Thompson has 195 kills this season, the third highest total on the team. She has 69 blocks, and averages 0.88 blocks per set. Thompson had nine kills and four block assists against Emporia.
Becca Blaise, has 156 kills this season, and averages 2.10 per set. She is third on the team in digs, with 160 digs, and has 25 serving aces this season. Blaise has played in 71 of 78 sets for the Jennies this season.
Freshman middle hitter,
Maddie Jones, had two kills and a block in two sets against Emporia State. Jones has the eighth highest hitting percentage in the MIAA, at .322. She is second on the team in blocks, with 49 blocks this season, 0.70 per set.
Mackenzie Harding has started three matches and played in 11 sets this season. Harding has 16 kills, a .389 hitting percentage, and 13 blocks this season.
Lauren Dudgeon has played in 16 sets with two starts this season, totaling 16 kills and six blocks.
Mikalee Monachino had 12 digs in the match against Emporia, reaching double digits for the fifth time this season. Monachino has 16 service aces this season, and has made an apperance in every set the Jennies have played this season.
Opponent Preview
This will be the Jennies second match against Missouri Southern (4-19, 0-10 MIAA) this season. Under Piontek the Jennies have not lost a set to Missouri Southern. Central Missouri last took on the Lions in Warrensburg, defeating them 25-9, 25-10, 25-16.
Katie Politte leads the Lions in kills, averaging 3.42 per set, but was able to tally only three kills in the entire match the last time she played the Jennies. Politte also is tied for first on the Lions in total serving aces, with 21 this season. She had two serving aces last time Missouri Southern played the Jennies. Mikayla Avery had a kill, assists, and a block, along with five digs the last time she played the Jennies. Avery leads the Lions in digs, averaging 2.81 per set, and is second on the team in sets, 0.36 assists per set. Payton Graves is second on the Lions in kills, with 188 this season, but only had one kill in her last match against Central Missouri. Graves leads the Lions in blocks, averaging 0.83 blocks per set, and had two block assists last time the Lions played the Jennies. Abby Finder did not appear in the match against the Jennies, but has played in every match since for Missouri Southern. Finder averages 8.53 assists per set, and also has 21 serving aces this season.
