Golden Suns on the road to Missouri Western for the weekend

Women's Volleyball 09.10.26 By: Destini Nguyen

Golden Suns on the road to Missouri Western for the weekend

WEEKEND INFORMATION

ARKANSAS TECH GOLDEN SUNS 6-3 (1-0 GAC)	MISSOURI WESTERN *GRIFFINS* 7-1 (0-0 MIAA)	MCKENDREE *BEARCATS* 2-5 (0-0 GLVC)	CENTRAL MISSOURI *JENNIES* 4-4 (0-0 MIAA)	ILLINOIS-SPRINGFIELD *PRAIRIE STARS* 2-5 (0-0 GLVC)
	Friday, September 11 \| 10:30 a.m. MWSU Fieldhouse \| St. Joseph, Mo. LIVE STATS \| LIVE VIDEO	Friday, September 11 \| 3:30 p.m. MWSU Fieldhouse \| St. Joseph, Mo. LIVE STATS \| LIVE VIDEO	Saturday, September 12 \| 9:30 a.m. MWSU Fieldhouse \| St. Joseph, Mo. LIVE STATS \| LIVE VIDEO	Saturday, September 12 \| 2:30 p.m. MWSU Fieldhouse \| St. Joseph, Mo. LIVE STATS \| LIVE VIDEO

FIRST SERVE
After a thrilling home opener, the Golden Suns travel to St. Joseph, Mo. for the Holiday Inn Express Griffon Volleyball Invitational hosted by Missouri Western. Their first match will be on Friday, September 11 against Missouri Western at 10:30 a.m., and their second will be later that day at 3:30 p.m. against McKendree. Their third and fourth matches will be the following day on Saturday, September 12 against Central Missouri at 9:30 a.m. and Illinois-Springfield at 2:30 p.m.

The entirety of the tournament will have live stats and live video for all matches. Video coverage is pay-per-view through The MIAA Network. Links for stats and video are available at www.ArkansasTechSports.com/coverage

TECH(NICALLY) SPEAKING

The Golden Suns head into the tournament with a 6-3 record and 1-0 for conference play after their match against Henderson State on Tuesday, September 8. The Suns strived through the match and took it 3-1.

Offensively, the Golden Suns are averaging 12.7 kills/set and have a .215 team attack percentage. Leading hitter is Henley Hooks with 103 kills with a total attack percentage of .270. Erika Hernandez has the highest attack percentage on the team at .438 (84k-162att-13err).

Tech's leading and primary setter is Kenzie Garrett totaling 194 assists of the team's 392 assists.

Defensively, the Golden Suns are averaging 16.6 digs/set and 1.8 blocks per set. Karis Brinlee leads the team in digs with 137. Karlly Dillard currently leads the team in blocks at 23.0, but following shortly after is Erika Hernandez at 21.0.

The head coach of the Golden Suns is Hannah Wuest. She is in her second-year as head coach at Tech with a 21-15 record.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

MISSOURI WESTERN

The Griffins come into the tournament with a 7-1 record. They started the season with a seven-game win streak, but were halted by Rockhurst losing 3-2. The tournament host's first game will be against Tech and will later play Illinois-Springfield at 6 p.m.

The Griffins are averaging 13.3 kills/set and have a .263 team attack percentage. Leading hitter is Tanith Roush totaling 108 kills, while also holding the highest attack percentage on the team of prominent attackers at .366 (108k-227att-25err).

The Griffins have a split time for setters Katelyn Diani-O'Day and Hayley Barsky. Diani-O'Day currently leads the team with 149 assists while Barsky totals 134.

Defensively, the Griffins are averaging 16.8 digs/set and 2.5 blocks per set. Anna Weberg leads the team with 149 digs and Mackenzie Peters leads at 44.0 blocks.

The head coach of the Griffins is Jessica Fey. She is in her fifth-year at Missouri Western with a record of 83-45.

MCKENDREE

The Bearcats' record is 2-5 after participating in two tournaments, one of them hosted by McKendree. The team was swept in all four games played in the McKendree Invitational, and later picked up two wins at the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational.

Their first match will be against Tech on Friday at 3:30 p.m., and their other two matches will be played the following day.

Through the tournaments, the Bearcats have averaged 11.7 kills/set and have a .178 team attack percentage. Madelyne Clark leads in kills at 73 and also contains the highest attack percentage on the team at .295 (73k-166att-24err).

The Bearcats' primary setter is Peyton Uptgraft. She currently has 125 of the team's 265 assists.

Defensively, the Bearcats are averaging 15.2 digs/set and 1.4 blocks per set. Paige Parant leads the team in digs with 72, followed shortly after by Reece Distler at 68. Ilana Reeder currently leads the team with 19.0 blocks.

The head coach of the Bearcats is Miranda Rodriguez. She is in her third-year at McKendree with a 19-42 record.

CENTRAL MISSOURI

The Jennies are currently in a split record of 4-4 after participating in two tournaments. In each one, they were able to take two matches and drop two. Central Missouri will have played one match prior to playing Tech on Saturday.

The Jennies are averaging 12.3 kills/set and have a .195 team attack percentage. Leading in kills is Shaye Koski totaling 78, and shortly after her is Maya Ferguson at 72. Bria Dawson has the highest attack percentage on the team at .320 (59k-128att-18err).

The Jennies' primary setter has been Chloe Rauner. She currently has 257 of the team's 353 assists.

Defensively, the Jennies are averaging 14.5 digs/set and 1.9 blocks per set. Leading in digs is Ragin Corwin totaling 139 and Kaelyn McDonald leads in blocks at 31.0.

The head coach of the Jennies is Caitlin Peterson. She is in her fifth-year at Central Missouri with a record of 79-36.

ILLINOIS-SPRINGFIELD

The Prairie Stars also go into this tournament 2-5. They dropped all four matches during their time at the Ferris State Invitational, and later won two matches at the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational.

Illinois-Springfield will have played two matches prior to their match with Tech on Saturday.

The Prairie Stars are averaging 10.1 kills/set and have a .125 team attack percentage. Leading hitter Makenna Cox contains 97 kills and has the highest attack percentage on the team at .269 (97k-253att-29err).

The Prairie Stars primary setter has been Madi Siefken. She currently has 125 of the team's 208 assists.

Defensively, the Prairie Stars are averaging 15.0 digs/set and 1.4 blocks per set. Makenna Cox also leads the team in digs with 78. Four players contain double-digits blocks but Madi Siefken also leads the way with 14.0 blocks.

The head coach of the Prairie stars is Laura Ulrich. She is in her second-year at Illinois-Springfield with a record of 14-19.

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