Sept. 12, 2000
Bulldog Volleyball Continues MIAA Play; Visits Northwest Missouri on Wednesday
THE MATCH: Truman State University Bulldogs (Mid-America Intercollegiate
Athletics Association/NCAA Division II) vs. Northwest Missouri State University
Bearcats (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association/NCAA Division
II)
DATE: Wed., Sept. 13
TIME: 7 p.m.
LOCATION: Maryville, Mo.
ARENA: Bearcat Arena (2,500)
NORTHWEST MISSOURI'S RECORD: 8-2, 2-1 MIAA
TRUMAN'S RECORD: 9-1, 2-0 MIAA
TRUMAN: The Bulldogs remain nationally-ranked but slipped a spot to No. 21 in the latest AVCA Top 25. Truman comes in riding an eight-match winning streak, but survived a scare over the weekend when it needed five games to overcome an upstart Washburn (Kan.) squad after sweeping Emporia State (Kan.) the day prior.
At 9-1 overall, the Bulldogs are off to their best start since 1994, when the squad not only began the year with nine wins in 10 matches, but won 12 of its first 13. The team is gradually building another impressive winning streak. Last year's Bulldogs won 12 straight at one point, coming within two wins of tying the program record for consecutive victories.
The 'Dogs have done most of their damage this season without their senior leader, Janelle Zehr (Deer Creek, Ill./Mackinaw), who has been sidelined for nearly two weeks with an ankle injury. But juniors Cassy Felkerson (Salem, Mo.), Eliza Hoerner (Augusta, Mo./Washington-Univ. of Colorado-Colorado Springs) and Jenny Glenn (Granby, Colo./Middle Park) have played well in her absence. Felkerson is riding a string of six consecutive matches with double-figure kills and leads the team in hitting at .346. Hoerner has been a consistent force, leading the team in kills (3.73 per game) and blocks (1.15 per game).
TRUMAN'S WEEKEND IN KANSAS: The Bulldogs opened MIAA play with a perfect 2-0 mark in road matches on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, Truman won by a 3-0 sweep over Emporia State (Kan.), but needed five games on Saturday afternoon before putting away Washburn (Kan.).
In Friday's victory over Emporia State, Felkerson charted 13 kills and a .393 hitting percentage as the 'Dogs won their MIAA opener. Glenn had nine kills, while Hoerner and sophomore Jackie Knight (Chesterfield, Mo./Lafayette) each finished the match with eight.
Saturday after noon saw Truman taken to five games by Washburn's Lady Blues. But Hoerner pounded out 20 kills and a .474 hitting percentage and freshman Jenna Buckner (Quincy, Ill.) added another 19 finishes with a .447 hitting percentage as Truman won its eighth in a row. Felkerson also ended with 17 kills and Glenn added 12.
NORTHWEST MISSOURI: The Bearcats enter the match with an 8-2 overall record, including a 2-1 mark in the MIAA. In action on Saturday, NWMSU fell to Missouri Southern 3-1 after picking up conference wins earlier in the week over Emporia State (Kan.) and Pittsburg State (Kan.). Each of the Bearcats first three conference games have been played at home.
Statistically, Northwest is led by senior middle hitter Abby Sunderman, who averages 3.29 kills, 0.97 blocks and 2.86 digs to go with her team-high .385 hitting percentage, which also ranks second in the MIAA. Senior Jill Quast leads the team in digs (4.26 p/g) and sophomore Megan Danek averages 11.63 assists and a league-best 0.63 service aces. In blocking, freshman middle hitter Lindsey Remmers leads the team (1.44 p/g).
The Bearcats have one of the best overall records in the MIAA, as only Truman and Central Missouri have better winning percentages. NWMSU has had two four-match winning streaks on the year with victories coming against Harding (Ark.), Henderson State (Ark.), Texas Woman's, Lincoln Memorial, Valdosta State (Ala.) and Central Arkansas, in addition to those against Emporia State and Pittsburg State. Excluding their loss to MSSC, the only other NWMSU loss was a 3-0 sweep at the hands of Montevallo.
Northwest currently leads the MIAA in hitting (.282) and digs (19.60 p/g).
SERIES RECORD: Truman leads 34-24-1 ... The 'Dogs have won 20 of the last 21 meetings between the two squads and had won 19 consecutive before the Bearcats defeated Truman 3-1 in Pershing Arena last year. The Bulldogs bounced back and won 3-0 at Northwest near the end of the 1999 campaign.
COACH BECKY EGGERING: Becky Eggering is in her fourth year at the helm of the Bulldogs and has a 75-38 career record for a winning percentage of .664 -- the best among all volleyball coaches in school history. She is three wins away from tying Barb Mayhew for second place on the Bulldog volleyball career wins list.
BULLDOGS IN MIAA STATISTICS (SEPT. 11 REPORT): Truman ranks in the top three in the conference in five of the six team statistical categories in the first MIAA report. The Bulldogs lead the league in service aces (2.22 p/g) and in kills (15.94 p/g). The team is also second in hitting percentage (.267) and digs (18.78 p/g). In assists, the 'Dogs rank third at 13.64 per game.
Individually, Felkerson is third in the MIAA in hitting (.346) and seventh in kills (3.26 p/g). Hoerner is seventh in hitting (.305), fourth in kills (3.73 p/g), ninth in blocks (1.15 p/g) and fifth in service aces (0.45 p/g). Glenn ranks eighth in hitting (.301) and fourth in service aces (0.47 p/g). Sophomore Monica Marlowe (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) is second in the conference in assists (11.77 p/g) and sixth in digs (3.42 p/g).
FELKERSON NAMED MIAA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: For the second week in a row, Truman has an MIAA Athlete of the Week. On Tuesday, Felkerson was named the MIAA's top hitter for the week of Sept. 4-10. For the week, she hit .400 (30 kills, 4 errors, 65 attempts) and averaged 3.75 kills and 0.75 blocks per game.
Other Bulldog MIAA Athletes of the Week: Monica Marlowe (Sept. 5).
BULLDOGS CLIMBING CAREER LISTS: Felkerson has boosted her career hitting percentage to .251, which now ranks her third on the Bulldogs' career list. She is also closing in on the top 10 for career kills, as she now has 534, just 54 back of 10th-place Anne Moe. Felkerson has jumped two spots to sixth place in career blocks, while junior Brenda Ippensen (Quincy, Ill.) is up to eighth in career kills. While remaining Truman's career leader in assists per game (12.34), Marlowe has also moved among the career leaders for digs average (2.81, sixth place). Zehr is still the Bulldogs' career leader in kills per game (3.89) and is up to fifth in career digs, with 1,071.
NATIONAL POLL: The Bulldogs slipped slightly in this week's AVCA Top 25, dropping from 20th to 21st. Here is the complete poll.
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