Fri., Sept. 28
Fort Hays State at Northwest, 6 p.m. | MIAA Network Stream | Live Stats

Sat., Sept. 29
Nebraska-Kearney at Northwest, 6:30 p.m. | MIAA Network Stream | Live Stats

The Northwest Missouri State volleyball team is riding an eight-match win streak heading into this weekend's set of home matches against Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney.
 
The Bearcats's 5-0 start in the MIAA is the best start in league play in the program's history.
 
Northwest and Washburn are the lone two remaining undefeated teams in the MIAA. Northwest has won four of its five matches in league play in three sets. Washburn has played 19 sets and has gone to four sets in four of its five league matches.
 
Northwest (13-3 overall, 5-0 MIAA) will take on Fort Hays State (6-11, 0-5 MIAA) Friday at 6 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. The Bearcats will entertain Nebraska-Kearney (16-1, 4-1 MIAA) Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. Admission to Saturday's match is free following the Northwest football game vs. Emporia State.
 
The Bearcats are 16-8-1 all-time vs. Fort Hays State. Northwest is 8-2 at home against FHSU. The Bearcats defeated the Tigers both times the teams met in 2017.
 
Nebraska-Kearney owns a 15-3 lead in the all-time series vs. Northwest. The Bearcats's three wins in the series came in 1979, 1983 and 1990.
 
Northwest received 19 votes in this week's AVCA Div. II top 25 poll.
 
The Bearcats are a perfect 12-0 in three-set matches this season.
 
Senior Maddy Bruder (Firth, Neb.) Bruder averaged 4.00 kills and 3.30 digs per set in leading Northwest to a trio of MIAA wins. Bruder leads the MIAA in kills per set in league matches only at 4.69 (more than 1.00 kills per set than anyone else in the league). UCM's Kylie Hohlen is second in the league at 3.61 kills per set. Bruder has played only 16 sets in MIAA play as the Bearcats have won four of their five league matches in three-game sweeps.
 
Bruder posted a pair of double-doubles and nearly had a third as she led Northwest to a trio of wins this week. Bruder had 14 kills, 13 digs, two blocks, an assist and a service ace in a 3-0 win over Missouri Western. Bruder added 13 kills, nine digs, two blocks and an assist in a 3-0 triumph at Missouri Southern. Bruder finished the week with 13 kills, 11 digs, five assists and a block in a 3-1 win at Southwest Baptist.
 
Bruder has posted eight double-doubles this season and 50 in her Bearcat career.
 
Bruder has accrued 1,434 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.)        1,434

 
Sophomore setter Maddy Ahrens (Appleton, Wisconsin) Ahrens averaged 11.40 assists and 2.30 digs per set in leading Northwest to a trio of MIAA wins. Ahrens posted a double-double with 44 assists and 10 digs to go along with three kills and three blocks in a 3-0 win over Missouri Western. Ahrens had 38 assists, eight digs, two kills and a service ace in a 3-0 triumph at Missouri Southern Ahrens capped the week with 32 assists, five digs, two kills and a service ace in a 3-1 victory at Southwest Baptist. Ahrens leads the MIAA in assists at 12.38 per set in league matches only.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Hallie Sidney (Chesterfield, Missouri) was credited with a career-high 14 digs in Saturday's 3-1 win at Southwest Baptist. Sidney ranks second on the squad with 141 kills (2.61 kills/set).
 
Freshman Rachel Sturdevant (Kansas City, Missouri) posted her third double-figure kill performance of the season with 11 kills in a 3-1 win at Southwest Baptist. Sturdevant hit .526 at SBU.
 
Senior middle hitter Sofia Schleppenbach (Dallas, Texas) leads the Bearcats in, service aces (25) and hitting percentage (.372). She ranks second on the team in blocks (43). Schleppenbach ranks third on the squad in kills (132 – 2.44 kills/set).
 
Redshirt freshman middle hitter Bethany Elkins (Belton, Missouri) leads Northwest in blocks (49). Elkins ranks fourth on the team in kills (105 – 2.10 kills/set).
 
Senior Olivia Nowakowski (Kansas City, Missouri) has posted a team-best 224 digs (4.15 digs/set). Nowakowski ranks No. 5 on Northwest's all-time digs list with 1,484 career digs. Tori Beckman ranks No. 4 with 1,488 digs from 2010-2012. Jennifer Pittrich holds down the No. 3 slot with 1,494 digs from 1993-1996.
 
Northwest's All-Time Digs List

1. Page Spangenberg (2007-2010)       2,489
2. Jill Quast (1997-2000)                       1,924
3. Jennifer Pittrich (1993-1996)             1,494
4. Tori Beckman (2010-2012)                1,488
5. Olivia Nowakowski (2015-pres.)        1,484