Season Stats (PDF)

Fri., Oct. 5
Central Oklahoma at Northwest, 6 p.m. | MIAA Network Stream | Live Stats
 
Sat., Oct. 6
Pittsburg State at Northwest, 3 p.m. | MIAA Network Stream | Live Stats
 
The Northwest Missouri State volleyball team will remain at home this week for two more contests in Bearcat Arena.
 
Northwest (14-4 overall, 6-1 MIAA) will match up against the No. 19-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos (17-4, 5-2 MIAA) Friday at 6 p.m., followed by a Saturday afternoon tilt against the Pittsburg State Gorillas (15-5, 4-3 MIAA) at 3 p.m.
 
The Bearcats are tied for second in the MIAA with Nebraska-Kearney. Northwest and UNK have 6-1 marks in MIAA play, while Washburn holds down the No. 1 spot in the league with a perfect 7-0 record.
 
In the latest AVCA Top 25 poll, Nebraska-Kearney is ranked No. 4, Washburn is ranked No. 9 and Central Oklahoma is ranked No. 19. Northwest is receiving 29 votes in the poll – which would rank them No. 32 among teams with votes.
 
Northwest's four losses this season have come against teams with a combined record of 59-13. The Bearcats have dropped matches to No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney (L, 3-2), No. 6 Rockhurst (L, 3-2), Colorado Mesa (L, 3-2) and Sioux Falls (L, 3-1). Colorado Mesa is receiving votes in this week's AVCA top 25 poll.
 
The Bearcats are a perfect 13-0 in three-set matches this season.
 
Senior libero Olivia Nowakowski (Kansas City, Missouri) averaged 6.00 digs per set as Northwest split a pair of MIAA matches this past weekend against Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney. Nowakowski totaled the eighth-best digs (35) in a five-set match in school history against Nebraska-Kearney. Nowakowski was credited with a match-high 13 digs in a 3-0 win over Fort Hays State on Friday.
 
Northwest's All-Time Digs List

1. Paige Spangenberg (2007-2010)         2,489
2. Jill Quast (1997-2000)                         1,924
3. Olivia Nowakowski (2015-pres.)        1,532
4. Jennifer Pittrich (1993-1996)             1,494
5. Tori Beckman (2010-2012)                 1,488

 
Sophomore middle hitter Hallie Sidney (Chesterfield, Missouri) averaged 5.12 kills per set (41 total kills) and hit .340 as Northwest went 1-1 in MIAA action. Sidney tallied a career-high 27 kills – the eighth most in a single-match in school history – against Nebraska-Kearney. Her 27 kills is the most by any MIAA player this season in any match. Sidney totaled 14 kills and hit .467 with no errors in a 3-0 sweep of Fort Hays State.
 
Senior outside hitter Maddy Bruder (Firth, Neb.) leads the MIAA in kills (263) and kills per set (4.24). In MIAA-only matches, Bruder is the only conference player with more than 100 kills (106). Bruder is averaging 4.42 kills per set in MIAA action.
 
Bruder has posted nine double-doubles this season and 51 in her Bearcat career. Her 51^st career double-double came Saturday against Nebraska-Kearney, when Bruder posted 16 kills and 20 digs. It is the sixth time in Bruder's career that she has posted 20 or more digs in a match.
 
Bruder has accrued 1,465 career kills to rank No. 5 in Bearcat history. Diann Davis (1994-1997) holds the Northwest career record with 1,740 kills.
 
Northwest's All-Time Kills List

1. Diann Davis (1994-1997)              1,740
2. Abby Sunderman (1997-2000)  1,715
3. Jill Quast (1997-2000)                    1,715
4. MacKenzie Heston (2003-2006) 1,638
5.  Maddy Bruder (2015-pres.)        1,465

 
Sophomore setter Maddy Ahrens (Appleton, Wisconsin) leads the MIAA in assists per set (11.05). In conference play only, Ahrens is averaging 12.54 assists per set – more than 1.5 assists per set more than the league's second-best setter (UNK's Lindsey Smith – 11.00 assists per set). Ahrens dished out a career-high 61 assists vs. Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.
 
Senior middle hitter Sofia Schleppenbach (Dallas, Texas) leads the Bearcats in service aces (25) and hitting percentage (.370). She ranks second on the team in blocks (48). Schleppenbach ranks third on the squad in kills (150 – 2.42 kills/set).
 
Redshirt freshman middle hitter Bethany Elkins (Belton, Missouri) leads Northwest in blocks (56). Elkins ranks fourth on the team in kills (120 – 2.07 kills/set).