Northwest Season Stats (PDF)

The No. 14-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team (17-5 overall, 10-4 MIAA) produced a three-victory week and will head to No. 2-ranked Nebraska-Kearney on Friday and Fort Hays State on Saturday.
 
Friday, Nov. 1
6 p.m., #14 Northwest at #2 Nebraska-Kearney – LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, Nov. 2
4 p.m., #14 Northwest at Fort Hays State – LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Nebraska-Kearney (23-0 overall, 14-0 MIAA) is working a perfect season. The Lopers are the first team to clinch a spot in the MIAA Tournament. The Lopers have a two-game lead over Washburn in the MIAA standings.
 
Fort Hays State (6-16 overall, 3-11 MIAA) has produced league wins over Emporia State (twice) and Newman. The Tigers lost in three sets to Northwest on Oct. 4 in Bearcat Arena.
 
The Bearcats sit in fourth place in the league standings with a mark of 10-4. Northwest's next victory would tie for the second-most MIAA wins in single season in program history. Northwest is ½ game behind Central Missouri for third place. Washburn holds a game and ½ lead over Northwest for second place.
 
Northwest's MIAA Wins – Single Season
1. 14 – 2018
2. 11 – 2017
3. 10 – 1999
    10 – 2010
    10 – 2016
    10 – 2019
7. 8 – 2011
    8 – 2014
    8 – 2015
 
Northwest will play away from Bearcat Arena this week where the 'Cats have posted a mark of 12-2 this season. Northwest is 5-2 on the road and a perfect 7-0 in neutral court matches. The Bearcats moved to 5-2 on the road season with its 3-2 victory at Missouri Western last 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 single-season standard.
 
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 89-27.
 
Northwest remained at No. 14 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll. It marks the 17th 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
Oct. 28, 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)
#4 Washburn (L, 3-2; Nov. 15)
#7 Northern State (W, 3-1)
#9 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 (903) and service aces (30). Ahrens ranks No. 4 in the MIAA in assists per set (10.75). Ahrens has posted nine double-doubles in 2019. Ahrens recorded a season-best 58 assists in Northwest's 3-2 victory over Missouri Western (Sept. 18). She narrowly missed a triple-double in a 3-0 win over Missouri Southern with seven kills, 31 assists and 14 digs (Oct. 25). Ahrens ranks No. 6 in Northwest history with 2,484 career assists. Ahrens earned all-tournament team honors at the Washburn Invitational. Ahrens has captured the MIAA Specialist of the Week award four times in 2019.
 
Northwest Assists by a Junior
1. Jennifer Pittrich – 1,456 (1995)
2. Laira Akin – 1,243 (2011)
3. Sarah Dannettell – 1,136 (2016)
4. Megan Danek – 1,133 (2001)
5. Maddy Ahrens – 903 (2019)
 
Junior Hallie Sidney (Chesterfield, Missouri) leads the MIAA in kills (338) and kills per set (4.17). Sidney's 4.17 kills per set is outdistancing Washburn's Genna Berg, who ranks second in the league at 3.80 kills per set. She ranks No. 2 in the nation in attack per set (12.84) and she also ranks No. 14 in the nation in total kills (338). 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 19 of her 21 matches. Sidney has generated six 20-plus kill matches in 2019. Sidney has tallied a team-best 13 double-doubles, including a stretch of three straight matches headed into this weekend. 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 four-time MIAA Hitter of the Week award winner in 2019.
 
Northwest Attacks by a Junior
1. Sarah Trowbridge – 1,505 (2005)
2. Maddy Bruder – 1,336 (2017)
3. Kathy Lauherr – 1,142 (1989)
4. Hallie Sidney – 1,040 (2019)
5. Tami Lichtas – 1,022 (1994)
 
Sophomore Bethany Elkins (Belton, Missouri) ranks No. 1 in the MIAA in blocks per set (1.06). Elkins has totaled 82 blocks on the season. Elkins ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in hitting percentage (.349). Elkins has 193 kills (2.51 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 (63) and kills (240). Lewis possesses a .305 hitting percentage on the season. Lewis has posted 14 double-figure kill totals. 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 310 digs (3.65 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) ranks No. 2 on the team in digs (268; 3.35 digs/set). Sturdevant secured a career-high 24 digs in a three-set match vs. Central Oklahoma (Oct. 11). Sturdevant has produced four double-doubles.
 
Senior Maggie Murphy (Chicago, Illinois) has tallied eight service aces and 43 digs in the last four matches.
 
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 131 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.