Jennies vs. Nebraska-Kearney
Friday, Nov. 15 | 7:00 p.m.
UCM Multipurpose Building | Warrensburg, Mo.Â
Live Stats | Video | Audio
Jennies vs. Fort Hays State
Saturday, Nov. 16 | 4:00 p.m.
Opponent Preview
The No. 7 Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (26-4, 12-3 MIAA) nine game winning streak came to a close Tuesday, when they were defeated by Washburn in five sets. The Lopers won the first two sets of the match, but lost the following three, 25-13, 26-24, 17-25, 19-25, 13-15. Â The Lopers average 14.5 kills per set, 13.6 assists per set, and 18.0 digs per set. They also average 1.5 serving aces per set, and 1.9 blocks per set. The Jennies faced Kearney twice last year, losing both matches 3-0, but have not faced the team yet this season.Â
The Jennies last played Fort Hays State (13-17, 3-11 MIAA) in November of last season. The Tigers average 13.1 kills per set, 12.0 assists per set, and 17.7 digs per set. The team also averages 1.0 serving ace per set, and 2.1 blocks per set. Fort Hays State split their matches against Friends University last week, and lost to Washburn. All three matches went to four sets. Earlier this week the Lions were beat by Emporia State in four sets, 25-21, 17-25, 24-26, 22-25.Â
Last Week Â
The Jennies had two matches last week, against Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western. Central Missouri averaged 13.6 kills per set, and hit .228 through nine sets, with 12.2 assists and 15.4 digs. The team also averaged 1.4 serving aces per set, and 2.0 blocks per set. On Friday the Jennies beat Northwest Missouri in Warrensburg in four sets 25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-15. UCM had 58 kills, 53 assists, 67 digs, eight blocks and eight serving aces. The next day Central Missouri traveled to St. Joseph, Mo. to take on Missouri Western. The Jennies came back to win the match in five sets after dropping sets two and three to the Griffons, 25-21, 21-25, 21-25, 25-17, 15-13. Missouri Western is only the third team to play five sets in a match against the Jennies this season. Central Missouri had 64 kills, 57 assists, 72 digs, ten blocks, and five serving aces in the match.Â
MIAA Tournament
If the Jennies beat Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State this weekend, the Jennies will tie Washburn for a share of MIAA Championship. Central Missouri would also be the number one seed going into the MIAA Tournament. The first round of the MIAA Tournament will take place in Warrensburg, Mo. on Tuesday night. The following days of the tournament will be hosted by the highest remaining seed in the Tournament.Â
Media Coverage
The matches Friday and Saturday will be aired on 1450 KOKO and warrensburgradio.com with Sean McCarrell and Ian Ross on the call. Live video of the matches will be available on americaonesports.com. The link for live stats for both matches can be found at UCMAthletics.com, under the Volleyball Schedule tab.Â
Jennies in the Polls
The Central Missouri Jennies were ranked No. 5 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, this is the third week in a row that UCM has been ranked No. 5 and the eighth straight week that the Jennies were ranked in the top five. Nebraska-Kearney was ranked No. 7 for the third week in a row, and Washburn was ranked No. 11. UNK and Washburn are the only other MIAA teams ranked in the poll. Concordia-St. Paul was ranked No. 1 with all 48 first place votes, and 1200 points.Â
Central Missouri Senior JenniesÂ
At Friday evening's match the Jennies will be honoring the two seniors on the Jennies squad,
Julia Bates and
Taylor Goodness. Both seniors are four-year starters for the Jennies, and three time All-MIAA selections.
Goodness has 1,127 kills in her career with the Jennies, and has posted a career high 390 kills this season. Goodness averages 4.02 kills per set, the highest average in the MIAA and 18th in the NCAA. She has a .304 hitting percentage this season, and also has 51 blocks this season. Goodness has reached double digit kills in 22 of the Jennies 28 matches this season. Goodness was named the MIAA 'Hitter of the Week' earlier this season.Â
Last week Goodness had 35 kills, and hit .307 through nine sets. She also had four blocks. Â She had 18 kills against Northwest Missouri State last week, with three blocks. In the five set match against Missouri Western Goodness had 17 kills, and hit .353.Â
Julia Bates has 5,083 career assists, and is fifth on the Jennie's All-Time Assists list. Bates also reached 500 career kills this season. Bates is third in the MIAA in assists and second in service aces, she is also ranked 22nd in assists and 47th in aces in the NCAA. Bates averages 11.21 assists per set, and 0.45 serving aces per set.Â
Bates had 85 assists last week 13 kills, four serving aces and four blocks. Against Northwest Missouri State she had 43 assists, and six kills with a .500 hitting percentage. She had her third double-double of the season against Missouri Western with 42 assists, and 11 digs. She also had seven kills, three serving aces, and three blocks in the match. Â
Central Missouri Jennies
Annie Reilly named MIAA Specialist of the Week last week for the second time this season. Reilly is currently leading the MIAA in serving aces and is third in the MIAA in digs. Reilly has 59 serving aces this season, 0.60 per set, and averages 5.36 digs per set. Her ace per set average also ranks her ninth in the NCAA. Reilly had 47 digs total between the Jennies two matches last week. She had 27 digs and three serving aces against Northwest Missouri State, and 20 digs and a kill against Missouri Western. Â
Carly Sojka is the only other member of the Jennies squad to get a player of the week nod. Sojka was named MIAA Hitter of the Week for the first time in her collegiate career this season. Sojka is second on the team in kills, with 277 kills total, and 10th in the MIAA. Sojka has had five double-doubles this season, her last one was against Southwest Baptist. Last week Sojka had 29 total kills, with nine against Northwest Missouri State and 20 against Missouri Western.Â
Haley Thompson has the third highest hitting percentage in the MIAA, and 49th in the NCAA, at .333. Thompson had 240 total kills this season. She also leads the team in blocks, with 75 total blocks and 0.82 blocks per set on average. Thompson had 18 kills and five blocks last week.
Becca Blaise has played in 91 of 98 sets for the Jennies, with 25 starts this season. Blaise is fourth on the team in kills, with 2.09 kills per set on average, and in blocks, with 44 total this season. Blaise had 22 digs, 14 kills, and six blocks in nine sets last week.Â
Maddie Jones has played in 90 of 98 sets for the Jennies, with 25 starts this season. Jones has 181 kills this season, and is second on the Jennies squad in blocks, with 74 total. Â Jones had 12 blocks and 11 kills last week. She had eight blocks in the five set match against Missouri Western.Â
Mikalee Monachino has made an appearance in every set the Jennies have played this season. Monachino has 23 serving aces this season, which is the third highest total on the team. Monachino had 47 digs, and two serving aces in two matches last week.Â
Opponent Preview Continued...Â
Nebraska-Kearney is currently third in the MIAA, and seventh in the AVCA poll. As a team, the Lopers are in the top five in five of the six MIAA statistical categories. The Lopers have the second highest hitting percentage in the MIAA, and are second in MIAA in kills and serving aces. Kearney leads the MIAA in assists, and is third in digs.
Ellie Pesavento has the highest hitting percentage in the MIAA, at .367. Pesavento averages 1.92 kills per set, and is second on the team in blocks with 50 total this season. Ashley Leitner is third in the MIAA in kills, averaging 3.67 kills per set. She has a .257 hitting percentage, and is third on the team in serving aces, with 26 total this season. Erin Seele is first in the MIAA in assists, averaging 11.38 per set. She is also second on the team in serving aces, with 29 total this season, and third in digs, with 2.49 digs per set. Molly O'Brien has 32 serving aces, the highest total on the team, and has played in every set for the Lopers this season. Liz McGowan leads the Lopers in digs averaging 3.92 per set, and has played in 91 sets for the Lopers this season. Â
The Jennies have not lost a match to Fort Hays State since Piontek took the position of head coach in 2009. The Tigers are currently 11th in the MIAA, and ranked fifth in the MIAA in blocks as a team. Â
The Tiger's Jenna Ulrich leads the MIAA in blocks per set, with 140 total blocks this season, and 1.37 per set. She also averages 1.91 kills per set, and has a .221 hitting percentage. Makenzie Weinman is fourth in the MIAA in digs, with 4.99 per set. Weinman also has 15 serving aces, and .093 assists per set. Taylor Mares leads the Tigers in kills, averaging 2.78 kills per set, and has the highest hitting percentage on the team at .225. Libby Ary has played in 90 sets for the Tigers this season, and averages 5.78 assists per set. Sara Hewson has played in every set for the Tigers this season, and leads the team in service aces, with 19 this season. She is also second on the team in digs, with 3.12 on average per set. Â
