The No. 14-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team (15-5 overall, 8-4 MIAA) survived a five-set thriller against Missouri Western and will return home for a pair of matches Friday and Saturday in Bearcat Arena.
 
Friday, Oct. 25
6 p.m., Missouri Southern at #14 Northwest– LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, Oct. 26
7 p.m., Pittsburg State at #14 Northwest– LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
Pink Match; Free admission following football game
 
Missouri Southern (12-10 overall, 5-7 MIAA) is in eighth place in the league standings. The Lions have picked up MIAA victories over Emporia State (3-0), Pittsburg State (3-0), Fort Hays State (3-1) and Newman (3-1; 3-1). Northwest tallied a 3-0 win against Missouri Southern in Joplin on Sept. 28.
 
Pittsburg State (11-10 overall, 6-6 MIAA) picked up a four-set win over Central Oklahoma on Tuesday. The Gorillas sit in sixth place in the MIAA standings. The Gorillas have registered league triumphs over Missouri Southern (3-1), Central Oklahoma (3-1; 3-1), Newman (3-2), Fort Hays State (3-0) and Emporia State (3-2). Northwest notched a four-set win over Pittsburg State in Pittsburg on Sept. 27.
 
Northwest is in sole possession of fourth place in the MIAA standings – trailing Nebraska-Kearney (12-0), Washburn (10-2) and Central Missouri (8-3). All three teams above Northwest in the MIAA standings are ranked in the top 10 in the latest AVCA top 25 poll.
 
The Bearcats moved to 5-2 on the road season with its 3-2 victory at Missouri Western on Tuesday. The five road wins ties for the eighth-best single-season mark in program history. The Bearcats have won 13 road matches in the last two seasons after notching eight away triumphs in 2018.
 
Most Road Wins – Single-Season
1. - 1994 - 10
2. - 1980 - 9
3. - 1999 - 8
      2018 - 8
5. - 2005 - 6
       2016 - 6
       2017 - 6
8. - 1993 - 5
       1997 - 5
       1998 - 5
       2019 - 5
 
Northwest is 5-2 in five-set matches in 2019. It's the most five-set wins in a season for the Bearcats since going 5-5 in five-set matches in 2016. The 1990 Bearcat volleyball team secured seven five-set wins to set the program single-season record.
 
Most Five-Set Wins – Single-Season
1. – 1990 – 7 (7-1)
2. – 1998 – 6 (6-2)
3. – 1997 – 5 (5-4)
       2005 – 5 (5-2)
       2016 – 5 (5-5)
       2019 – 5 (5-2)
 
On Oct. 19, Northwest rallied from an 2-0 deficit to score a five-set win at Emporia State. It was the first time since Sept. 3, 2016 vs. Maryville University, that Northwest was able to rally from a two-set deficit and come back to win a match. Prior to the ESU win, the last time Northwest rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win an MIAA match came Nov. 15, 2013, vs. Southwest Baptist in Maryville.
 
Northwest's five losses this season have come against teams with a combined record of 81-26.
 
Northwest remained at No. 14 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll. It marks the 16th 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
Oct. 14, 2019 – No. 14
Oct. 21, 2019 – No. 14
 
Northwest is 4-3 in matches this season against ranked opponents. The Bearcats scored a 3-1 win at No. 12-ranked Central Missouri on Sept. 21. 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)
L, 3-0 vs. #9 Central Missouri (Oct. 15)
L, 3-2 at #4 Washburn (Oct. 19)
 
Northwest Opponents Ranked in This Week's AVCA Top 25
#2 Nebraska-Kearney (L, 3-1; Nov. 1)
#3 Washburn (L, 3-2; Nov. 15)
#3 Northern State (W, 3-1)
#10 Central Missouri (W, 3-1; L, 3-0)
RV Central Oklahoma (L, 3-0; Nov. 9)
 
Junior Maddy Ahrens (Appleton, Wisconsin) leads the squad in assists (836) and service aces (26). Ahrens ranks No. 4 in the MIAA in assists per set (10.72). Ahrens has posted seven double-doubles in 2019. Ahrens recorded a season-best 58 assists in Northwest's 3-2 victory over Missouri Western (Sept. 18). Ahrens ranks No. 7 in Northwest history with 2,389 career assists. Ahrens is 52 assists away from moving up to No. 6 and passing Katie Swenson, who earned 2,441 assists in 2007 and 2008. Ahrens earned all-tournament team honors at the Washburn Invitational. Ahrens has captured the MIAA Specialist of the Week award four times in 2019.
 
Junior Hallie Sidney (Chesterfield, Missouri) leads the MIAA in kills (309) and kills per set (4.12). Sidney's 4.12 kills per set is outdistancing Washburn's Genna Berg, who ranks second in the league at 3.70 kills per set. Sidney recorded 22 kills and a career-high 23 digs in a five-set win at Missouri Western (Oct. 22) - Northwest's first 20-20 match since Maddy Bruder had 26 kills and 20 digs in a Nov. 2, 2017 match vs. Missouri Southern. Sidney has reached double-figure kill totals in 17 of her 19 matches. Sidney has generated six 20-plus kill matches in 2019. Sidney has tallied a team-best 11 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. Sidney is a three-time MIAA Hitter of the Week award winner in 2019.
 
Sophomore Bethany Elkins (Belton, Missouri) ranks No. 1 in the MIAA in blocks per set (1.01). Elkins has totaled 72 blocks on the season. Elkins ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in hitting percentage (.356). Elkins has 179 kills (2.52 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 nine double-figure kill performances this season after posting two in 2018.
 
Junior Morgan Lewis (Overland Park, Kansas) ranks second on the team in blocks (58) and kills (225). Lewis possesses a .306 hitting percentage on the season. Lewis has posted 14 double-figure kill totals, including a current stretch of nine out of 10 matches with 10 or more kills. Lewis tallied a season-best 16 kills vs. Drury (Sept. 7). 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 286 digs (3.62 digs/set). She is second on the squad in service aces (25). 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. Koechl has posted five 20-or more dig performances this season.
 
Sophomore Rachel Sturdevant (Kansas City, Missouri) posted 30 kills and hit .361 over the past week. She averaged 2.31 kills/set and 2.23 digs/set as Northwest went 1-2 with both losses to top-10 ranked MIAA opponents. Sturdevant had seven kills (.467), nine digs and two blocks against the Jennies. She posted eight kills, nine digs and three blocks in a five-set win at Emporia State on Friday. Sturdevant wrapped up the weekend with 15 kills, 11 digs, three assists, two blocks and a service ace in a five-set setback at Washburn. Sturdevant ranks No. 2 on the team in digs (242; 3.27 digs/set). Sturdevant secured a career-high 24 digs in a three-set match vs. Central Oklahoma (Oct. 11).
 
Freshman Alyssa Rezac (Wahoo, Nebraska) came in as a setter during the third set of Northwest's five-set victory at Missouri Western. Rezac accumulated 17 assists and led Northwest to a come-from-behind win in St. Joseph. Rezac also tallied two kills against the Griffons. Rezas has seen action in 12 matches and 31 sets in 2019.
 
Freshman Emmy Grant (Omaha, Nebraska) made her 2019 season debut against Central Oklahoma and Newman. Grant had a block assist against UCO (Oct. 11). Grant tallied four kills and three blocks in a 3-0 win over Newman (Oct. 12). Grant made her first career start vs. No. 9-ranked Central Missouri and posted four kills and a block.
 
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 sixth 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 129 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.