PITTSBURG - The Pittsburg State University volleyball team is set to begin a busy week with a home match against Rockhurst before ending the weekend on the road in MIAA action against Arkansas - Fort Smith and Northeastern State.
First serve against RU inside John Lance Arena is set for 6:00 p.m. (CT) Tuesday (Oct. 6). Friday (Oct. 9), UAFS will host PSU at Gayle Kaundart Arena in Fort Smith, Ark., with a 6:00 p.m. first serve set. NSU will end the weekend against Pitt State with a 6:00 p.m. first serve from the NSU Event Center in Tahlequah, Okla., Saturday (Oct. 10).
This season the Gorillas are 11-6 overall, 0-4 in the MIAA after two weekends of conference action. Pitt State leads Division II for team blocks (204) and blocks per set (3.14) while also ranking 34th for hitting percentage (.248) and 35th for assists (788).
Crystal Smith leads the Gorillas in points (261.5, 4.29), kills (195, 3.20), hitting percentage (.412) and total blocks (100, 1.64). Among DII ranks, Smith is first for blocks per set, second for total blocks and 15th for hitting percentage.
Maddi LaPointe is second on the team for points (207.5, 3.19) and kills (175, 2.69), while being third among team ranks for hitting percentage (.256) and total blocks (61, 0.94).
Maliyah Johnson (120),
Vix Vilott (119) and
Mason Palace (118) are the other members of the team with 100 or more kills so far this season.
Jesa Wallace (397, 6.11) and
Brynna Zoeller (289, 4.66) have split setting duties, with
Kassidy Nixon (229, 3.63), Palace (166, 2.63) and Wallace (139, 2.14) are the team leaders for digs.
Rockhurst comes into the week at 11-4 overall and 5-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), the Hawks are currently riding a 10-game winning streak and are 3-1 on the road this season.Â
Chloe Tyrrell leads the team with 157.5 points (2.72) from a team-high 133 kills (2.29) while hitting .238. Molly Trachta (338, 5.83) and Kaitlyn Dumpit (270, 4.74) have split setting duties so far this season. Abby Boyd leads the team with 141 digs (2.43) and Ali Olson is the team leader with 58 total blocks (1.00).
Arkansas - Fort Smith will begin the weekend with a 13-6 overall record, 2-4 in the MIAA and at home they are 2-1 so far.
Lydia Pitts leads the team with 245.0 points (3.89) from 207 kills (3.29) with a .237 hitting percentage. Mayli Whetter is the conductor of the offense with 547 assists (8.68). Abbey Jackson leads the team with 259 digs (4.39) and Aspen Olson has a team-high 59 blocks (0.94).
Northeastern State in their first season as a team is off to a 1-16 start overall, going 0-6 in the MIAA. At home this season the RiverHawks are 0-3 and have not claimed a set since Sept. 18 when they lost in four sets to Missouri Southern in Tahlequah.
Ashlyn Tag leads the team with 102.5 points (1.97) with 95 kills (1.83) from a .088 hitting percentage. Sydney Dunkleberger (231, 4.20) and Tiyana Bhatte (152, 2.92) conduct the offense as setters. Poliana Lazarini is the team leader with 117 digs (2.13) and Lanie Brown has a team-high 36 blocks (0.65).
