MATCH 20: SBU BEARCATS (7-12, 2-5 MIAA)
at #15 EMPORIA STATE HORNETS (15-3, 6-1 MIAA)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12 • 7:00 PM
W.L. WHITE AUDITORIUM • EMPORIA, KS

M21: vs MISSOURI SOUTHERN LIONS (12-7, 2-5 MIAA)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15 • 7:00 PM
MEYER SPORTS CENTER • BOLIVAR, MO

M22: vs PITTSBURG STATE GORILLAS (7-12, 1-7 MIAA)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16 • 2:00 PM
MEYER SPORTS CENTER • BOLIVAR, MO

LIVE STATS: ESU | MSSU & PSU

GAME NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The SBU Bearcats look to gain some momentum after last Saturday's win, as they prepare for three MIAA matches this week. The 'Cats wrap up a seven game road trip with a match against nationally-ranked Emporia State, before hosting Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State this weekend.

Junior Ashley Jurgensmeyer is nearing the SBU all-time record for kills, as she became just the second Bearcat to reach the 1,000 kill mark in last week's game against Fort Hays State. Jurgensmeyer has collected 1,003 kills over her three seasons at SBU, and is just 37 kills away from surpassing Sara Hunter (1998-01) for the top spot on SBU's all-time kills list. Currently, Jurgensmeyer leads the 'Cats with an average of 3.47 kills per set, placing her third among MIAA leaders. Her .344 hitting percentage ranks seventh in the league.

Setter Brianna Wallace has a chance by season's end to also set a new career record. Wallace currently has 630 assists on the season (9.0/game), and 3,486 over her career, just 420 behind Chelsea Kenney's school record of 3,906 assists.

Defensively, the Bearcats are averaging 1.79 blocks per set, seventh-best in the MIAA; Jurgensmeyer leads the 'Cats with 51 total blocks, while seniors Joanna Granzow (50) and Wallace (41) also anchor the front line defense. SBU has four players averaging more than two digs each set, led by senior Marcy Greenwade (3.79 digs/set), and followed up by newcomers Alyx Glover (2.26) and Britni Reed (2.05). Brianna Wallace is also averaging 2.00 digs each game.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Bearcat head coach Kelly Richardson enters her fourth season, and looks to further improve a program that has won more games over the past two seasons than from 2002-2007 combined. Over her first three years, Richardson has seen six players earn All-MIAA honors, and has recorded a career mark of 40-77.

Bing Xu is in his third year as the head coach at Emporia State after serving three years as the assistant coach for the Hornets. He is 54-27 in his first three seasons at ESU.

Now in his sixth year as Southern head coach, Chris Willis has guided the Lions to 90 wins and a NCAA regional appearance in 2006. His overall record at Southern of 90-113 rank him third all-time at Southern in coaching victories.

Ibraheem Suberu is in his 12th season at Pittsburg State, where he has compiled a 208-167 career record. SBU holds a 25-114-1 record against the three opponents this week.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
The Hornets sit 15th in the most recent AVCA Division II coaches poll, and are currently riding a three-game winning streak. Emporia ranks seventh in the nation, with 14.16 kills per set, and are led by hitter Brittany Miller. Miller's .387 hitting percentage (19th), 3.84 kills per set (25th), and 4.18 points per set (46th) all rank among the top 50 in Division II. Setter Ting Liu's 11.05 assists per set is ninth-best in the country.

The Missouri Southern Lions have won three of their past five matches, including a pair of wins at the MSSU Crossover Tournament. Southern is one of the best hitting teams in the country, with a .247 hitting percentage, 28th-best in the nation.

Defensively, the Lions are led by Shakila Balkhi, who's 3.91 digs per game ranks 9th in the MIAA, and Amelia Judge, who is the only player in the conference to average more than one total block per set, with 68 stuffs over 61 games.

Pittsburg State is looking to end a two game slide, after traveling to #6 Washburn and #15 Emporia State. The Gorillas boast one of the better defensives in the country, with 16.9 digs per set on average, ranking 28th in all of Division II, and second in the MIAA. Senior Cassie Wilson's 4.82 digs per set is second highest in the league. Junior Corrinne Stringer leads the offense, with a team-high 3.18 kills per set, 5th-best in the conference.