Northwest Season Stats (PDF)

The No. 10-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team (12-2 overall, 5-1 MIAA) will defend its home floor for the second straight weekend.
 
The Bearcats will take on the Central Oklahoma Bronchos on Friday at 6 p.m. The Bronchos 12-5 overall and 4-3 in MIAA matches. Northwest will match up against the Newman Jets Saturday at 7 p.m. The Jets are 0-16 overall and winless in seven MIAA matches.
 
Friday, Oct. 11
6 p.m., Central Oklahoma at #10 Northwest – LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, Oct. 12
7 p.m., Newman at #10 Northwest – LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
Military Day – free admission for military and law enforcement
 
Nebraska-Kearney (7-0) holds a game and a half lead over Northwest (5-1) and Washburn (5-1) in the MIAA standings. Central Missouri is in fourth place at 4-2 in league play.
 
Northwest remained at No. 10 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll. It is the highest ranking in program history. It marks the 14th time in program history that Northwest has been ranked in the AVCA top 25.

Northwest in AVCA Top 25
Sept. 19, 2016 – No. 22
Sept. 26, 2016 – No. 20
Oct. 3, 2016 – No. 18
Oct. 10, 2016 – No. 17
Oct. 17, 2016 – No. 17
Oct. 24, 2016 – No. 16
Oct. 31, 2016 – No. 21
Nov. 7, 2016 – No. 25
Nov. 14, 2016 – No. 25
Sept. 9, 2019 – No. 18
Sept. 16, 2019 – No. 15
Sept. 23, 2019 – No. 11
Sept. 30, 2019 – No. 10
Oct. 7, 2019 – No. 10
 
Northwest is 4-1 in matches this season against ranked opponents. The Bearcats scored a 3-1 win at No. 12-ranked Central Missouri this past Saturday. Northwest knocked off No. 7-ranked Northern State in four sets at the Drury Invitational. Northwest began the season by defeating No. 23 Central Washington (3-0) and No. 18 Drury (3-2) at the Washburn Invitational. No. 4-ranked Nebraska-Kearney scored a 3-1 win over Northwest at Bearcat Arena on Oct. 5.
 
Northwest vs. Ranked Foes in 2019
W, 3-0 vs. #23 Central Washington (Sept. 6)
W, 3-2 vs. #18 Drury (Sept. 7)
W, 3-1 vs. #7 Northern State (Sept. 13)
W, 3-1 at #12 Central Missouri (Sept. 21)
L, 3-1 vs. #4 Nebraska-Kearney (Oct. 5)
 
Northwest Opponents Ranked in This Week's AVCA Top 25
#3 Nebraska-Kearney (L, 3-1; Nov. 1)
#5 Washburn (Oct. 19; Nov. 15)
#8 Northern State (W, 3-1)
#13 Central Missouri (W, 3-1; Oct. 15)
RV Central Washington (W, 3-0)
 
Junior Maddy Ahrens (Appleton, Wisconsin) scored her fourth (and third consecutive) MIAA Specialist of the Week award for her play against Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney. Ahrens averaged 12.71 assists, 0.71 service aces and 0.86 blocks in the two matches. Ahrens leads the squad in assists (612) and service aces (20). Ahrens ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in assists per set (11.13) entering this weekend's set of matches. Ahrens recorded a season-best 58 assists in Northwest's 3-2 victory over Missouri Western (Sept. 18). Ahrens ranks No. 8 in Northwest history with 2,192 career assists. Ahrens earned all-tournament team honors at the Washburn Invitational.
 
Junior Hallie Sidney (Chesterfield, Missouri) is a three-time MIAA hitter of the week selection this season. Sidney leads the MIAA in kills (212) and kills per set (4.16). Sidney's 4.16 kills per set is outdistancing Washburn's Genna Berg, who ranks second in the league at 3.75 kills per set. Sidney has reached double-figure kill totals in 12 of the 13 matches. Sidney has totaled at least nine kills in every match she has played in this season. Sidney set a career-high with 21 digs in a four-set loss to Nebraska-Kearney (Oct. 5). Sidney has tallied a team-best seven double-doubles. Sidney notched a season-best 23 kills in Northwest's 3-2 win over Missouri Western (Sept. 18). Sidney was named to the all-tournament teams at the Drury Invitational and the Washburn Invitational.
 
Sophomore Bethany Elkins (Belton, Missouri) has registered an MIAA-best 56 blocks entering this week's set of matches. She ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in blocks per set (1.02). Elkins ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in hitting percentage (.360). Elkins has 152 kills (2.76 kills/set) this season. Elkins tied a career-high with nine blocks vs. Nebraska-Kearney. Elkins tallied a career-high 24 kills and hit .526 in Northwest's 3-2 win over Truman State. Elkins has eight double-figure kill performances this season after posting two in 2018.
 
Junior Morgan Lewis (Overland Park, Kansas) ranks second on the team in blocks (39) and kills (153). Lewis possesses a .338 hitting percentage on the season. Lewis has posted nine double-figure kill totals, including a current streak of four straight. Lewis blistered the net with 11 kills (.474) in a 3-0 win over Fort Hays State. Lewis continued her hot play with a 14-kill performance (.520) in four set sets vs. No. 4-ranked Nebraska-Kearney. Lewis had 25 kills and three errors, while hitting .478 vs. Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney. She hit .522 with 13 kills and one error in a 3-0 win at Missouri Southern. She posted a season-high seven blocks in a 3-1 win vs. Quincy. Lewis was named to the all-tournament team at the Drury Invitational.
 
Sophomore transfer Hannah Koechl (Innsbruck, Austria/Boise State) leads the team with 191 digs (3.47 digs/set) and service aces (20). Koechl posted the eighth-best four-set dig total in school history with a career-high 30 digs in a four-set match vs. No. 4-ranked Nebraska-Kearney (Oct. 5). Koechl served up a season-high six aces in a 3-1 win at Pittsburg State.
 
Sophomore Rachel Sturdevant (Kansas City, Missouri) notched her first double-double of the season with a 16-kill, 11-dig performance in a 3-1 win at Pittsburg State. Sturdevant ranks No. 2 on the team in digs (127; 2.95 digs/set).
 
Northwest is 5-0 in three-set matches this season. The Bearcats have won 24 straight matches that have ended in three sets dating back to the 2017 season.
 
The Bearcats at 3-1 in five-set matches in 2019.
 
For the sixth consecutive year and 13th time overall, the Bearcat volleyball team earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award. Northwest also tallied the AVCA Team Academic Award Honor Roll for the third straight year with a GPA ranked among the top-25 NCAA Division II schools. The Bearcat volleyball team recorded a 3.75 cumulative team grade point average during the 2018-19 season under the direction of head coach Amy Woerth. Northwest is one of 141 NCAA Division II schools to gain the AVCA Team Academic Award this year.
 
Eighth-year head coach Amy Woerth is looking to guide the Bearcats to an improvement in the MIAA standings for the seventh straight season. Woerth, who was named the 2018 MIAA Coach of the Year, and the Bearcats set a program record with 14 MIAA wins in 2018.
 
2013 – 9^th, 6-10 in MIAA
2014 – 7^th, 8-14 in MIAA
2015 – 7^th, 8-10 in MIAA
2016 – 6^th, 10-8 in MIAA
2017 – 5^th, 11-7 in MIAA
2018 – 4^th, 14-4 MIAA
 
Woerth ranks No. 3 in Bearcat coaching history with 126 career victories, trailing only Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) with 199 wins and Pam Stanek (1977-1981) with 176 triumphs.
 
The Bearcats registered 22 wins last season, their 15th 20-win campaign in program history. Northwest will be looking for back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1999. The Bearcats had 25 wins in 1999 after notching 21 wins in 1998.