PITTSBURG, Kan. -- The Pittsburg State volleyball team plays three matches this week. The Gorillas start with their final road game of the season at 6 p.m. on Tuesday (November 3) and continue the week with Friday and Saturday matches against Southwest Baptist and Missouri Southern in Pittsburg.
 
The weekend's home games bring two important promotions to John Lance Arena. Friday's match against Southwest Baptist is a Barefoot for Bare Feet game, benefitting Samaritan's Feet.
 
Samaritan's Feet is a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to provide shoes to children in the United States and abroad. Former Pittsburg State head volleyball coach is highly involved in this organization and is working with them to start volleyball teams and provide shoes to children in Nigeria.
 
Pittsburg State is asking that fans coming to Friday's match donate new or gently used shoes or money to purchase shoes. Everyone making a donation will receive a small token from Pittsburg State Athletics and will be entered in a drawing for a $50 gift card from Jock's Nitch. In addition, Pittsburg State Head Coach Jenny Mueller, assistant coach Skye Wade and the SBU coaching staff will be coaching barefoot in recognition of the people that go barefoot everyday because they have no access to shoes.
 
Saturday the Gorillas will celebrate Senior Day. Pitt State volleyball will honors its three seniors, Lexi Fulghum, Hayley Hansford and Taylyn Schwartz.
 
Lana DaSilva continues to lead the Gorilla offense with 147 kills. Maggie Highberger and Taylor Unke contribute 1.88 and 1.68 kills per set, respectively. Hayley Hansford and Taylyn Schwartz split setting responsibilities, each with just over 4.50 assists per set. DaSilva and Unke lead the Gorillas at the net with a combined 103 total blocks this season. Defensive specialist Ashlen Schwartz's 5.04 digs per set ranks her fourth in the MIAA.
 
Central Oklahoma is 23-3 overall and 11-2 in conference play, ranking second in MIAA polls behind No. 9 Washburn. The Bronchos dropped their third match of the season to No. 13 Central Missouri last Friday and topped Lindenwood in a tough five-set match on Saturday. The Bronchos swept Pittsburg State on October 6.
 
Barbara Jackson (313 kills) and Taylor Bevis (287 kills) are the Bronchos' offensive leaders. Allison Bar hits a team-high .356 clip and Jordan Spence follows closely behind with a .355 clip. Katy Davis is the Bronchos' lone setter, racking up roughly 12 aps. Spence is also the team's leading blocker with 81 total blocks. Senior libero Whitney Gifford has a conference-high 519 digs and leads the team in service aces with 19.
 
Southwest Baptist is 3-23 this season. The Bearcats fell to No. 12 Nebraska-Kearney and Missouri Southern last weekend at home after winning sets in each match. The Gorillas earned their first win of the season against the Bearcats on October 9.
 
The Bearcat attack is led by Taryn Marton and Payton White, each with over 150 kills and more than 2 kps respectively. Bailey Baumann and Katy Fitzpatrick tie in service aces with 14 each, followed by Marton and Hannah Blount with 13 each. Defensively, Blount averages 4.35 dps and Kalyn Sotomayor has 34 total blocks on the season.
 
Missouri Southern records an overall 2-22 record and a 1-12 MIAA record. They dropped home matches against Fort Hays and No. 12 Nebraska-Kearney last weekend. Pittsburg State kept Missouri Southern close in their last match on October 10 with only a two-point deficit in two of the three sets, but the Lions came out on top.
 
Three Lions average two kills or more per game: Payton Graves (2.28 kps) Bridgette Jaeger (2.27 kps) and Callie Whetstone (2.07 kps). Abby Finder records 6.25 aps as the team's setter. Jaeger has a team-high 12 service aces on the season. In the back row, Katie Wiele digs up 3.68 balls per set. Whetstone secures the top conference rank in blocks, averaging 1.10 bps and 88 total blocks.