PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State volleyball team will hit the road for the last time in the month of October with MIAA matchups against Central Missouri Friday (Oct. 27) at Warrensburg, Mo., and Missouri Southern Saturday (Oct. 28) at Joplin, Mo.

The Gorilla Scoop
Pitt State is 8-14 overall and 4-10 in the MIAA, good for ninth in conference standings. Last week, the Gorillas posted a 2-1 mark including a 3-0 road win over Newman as well as a 3-1 home victory over No. 8 ranked Nebraska-Kearney.

Senior outside hitter Janae Thurston (Peculiar, Mo.) leads the team with 286.5 points (3.67 per set) and 256 kills (3.28 per set). Among MIAA ranks she is fourth in kills and seventh in points.

Sophomore libero Josie McCroskey (Springdale, Ark.) has a team leading 333 digs (4.27 per set) to rank fourth in the MIAA.

Junior setter Jadyn Jackson (Augusta, Kan.) is the primary conductor of the offense to the tune of 680 assists (8.72 per set) and 34 service aces (0.44 per set). Among MIAA ranks she is third for second in service aces and eighth in assists

Redshirt junior middle hitters Carly Clennan (El Dorado, Kan.) and Kate Bandre (Overland Park, Kan.) combine to offer something slightly different in the middle as Clennan has posting 66 total blocks (0.97 per set), 96 kills (1.98 per set) and 134.5 points (1.98 per set) while Bandre has 130 kills (1.76 per set) and 152.5 points (2.06 per set).

Head Coach Jen Gomez
Jen Gomez is in her eighth season leading the Gorillas. She has a compiled an 90-129 (.411) overall record at Pitt State and led the Gorillas to four straight MIAA Tournament appearances.
 
Overall, Gomez has 16 years of collegiate head coaching experience and a 292-264 (.525) career coaching record.
 
Gomez averaged 26.8 wins per year in five seasons as head coach at Oklahoma City University from 2006-10 while restarting a program that had been dormant on campus since 1983.

Jennies In The Mix
Central Missouri comes into the week with a 15-7 record (12-2 MIAA). The Jennies are tied with Central Oklahoma atop the conference standings. UCM is 6-1 at home this season with its lone loss coming to Rockhurst (Sept. 19) in a five-set match.

Redshirt senior outside hitter Kersti Nix leads the Jennies with 342.5 points (3.89 per set) and 314 kills (3.57 per set) ranking second in the MIAA for points and kills.

Redshirt senior setter Olivia Olson has a team-best 943 assists (10.72 per set) to rank second in the MIAA while adding 224 digs (2.55 per set) and 67 total blocks (0.76 per set).

Redshirt sophomore defensive specialist Grace Winkelmann leads the team with 328 digs (3.73 per set) to rank 10th in the MIAA.

Freshman middle blocker Elinor Engel has a team-best 83 total blocks (1.02 per set) to rank sixth in the MIAA while she is second on the team with 247.0 points (3.05 per set) and kills with 200 (2.47 per set).

Into The Lions Den
Missouri Southern comes into the weekend with a 12-11 record (5-9 MIAA). The Lady Lions, who sit eighth in the conference standings, are 6-3 at home this season. MSSU and Pitt State previously met on Sept. 29 in Pittsburg with the Lady Lions prevailing, 3-1.

Senior outside hitter Fernanda Canedo leads the team with 312.5 points (3.77 per set), 277 kills (3.34 per set) and 275 digs (3.31 per set), ranking third in the MIAA for points and kills while being 14th in digs.

Sophomore Hannah Allick and Freshman Landrey VanOverschelde split setting duties with Allick having 500 assists (6.94 per set) and VanOverschelde dishing out 294 (5.35 per set).

Junior middle blocker Amelia Neels leads the team with 72 total blocks (0.88 per set) and 35 service aces (0.43 per set) and is second on the team with 228.0 points (2.78 per set) and 153 kills (1.87 per set). Among MIAA ranks she is fourth in service aces and 12th in blocks.

Up Next
Following the weekend action, the Gorillas will host William Jewell next Tuesday (Oct. 31) at 6 p.m. (CDT), before making their last road trip of the MIAA season. Pitt State's road swing features matches at Emporia State on Nov. 3 and Washburn on Nov. 4.