PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University volleyball team will play host to MIAA foe Newman University this weekend looking to keep pace in the conference standings with less than a month remaining in the regular season.
 
First serve against the Jets is set for 6 p.m. (CDT) Friday (Oct. 25) at John Lance Arena/Whetzel Court.
 
The Gorilla Scoop

• Pitt State is 9-10 overall (4-5 MIAA) on the season. The Gorillas had a three-game winning streak halted by a pair of home losses to Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri last weekend. Pitt State currently sits alone in seventh place in the MIAA standings.
• Statistical leaders for the season are Vix Vilott with 213.5 points (3.19 per set) and 172 kills (2.57 per set); Jesa Wallace with 345 assists (6.27 per set); Josie McCroskey with 342 digs (5.10 per set); and Anna Dean with 69 total blocks (1.03 per set).
• Senior outside hitter, Ivy Fink (Hoyt, Kan.) registered her 1000th collegiate kill in the penultimate point against UCM on Oct. 11. Fink accumulated 697 kills at Butler Community College (2022-23) and in her two years at PSU has 312 kills to date.
• Junior libero/defensive specialist, Josie McCroskey (Springdale, Ark.) became the 10^th Gorilla in team history to eclipse 1000 career digs against MWSU (Oct. 18). Currently she has 1045 digs to her name, needing 10 more to pass PSU Hall of Famer Sammie Williams (2005-08) for ninth in team history.
• Jen Gomez is in her ninth season leading the Gorillas. She has a 101-144 overall record at PSU while leading the program into four of the last five MIAA Tournaments. Gomez notched his 100^th career victory at PSU in the Gorillas 3-1 victory over UCM (Oct. 11) to become the third coach in team history (Ibraheem Suberu, 1999-2013 & Joan Warrington, 1978-83) to reach the century mark in victories.

 
The Opposition

• Newman is 3-20 overall and 0-9 MIAA heading into the weekend. The Jets also dropped home matches against Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western last weekend. NU is 0-7 on the road this season.
• Statistical leaders are Ozioma Ajekwu with 256.0 points (3.51 per set), 216 kills (2.96 per set) and 61 total blocks (0.84 per set); Avery Dempsey leads the team with 300 assists (7.89 per set) as Madalyn Hoot is second with 237 (6.77 per set); and Natalie Trigo is the team leader in digs with 359 (4.54 per set).