Friday, Oct. 22
No. 6 Northwest Missouri State at Pittsburg State, 6 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, Oct. 23
No. 6 Northwest Missouri State at Missouri Southern, 3 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
The No. 6-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team will take its nine-match winning streak on the road this week for matchups at Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern.
 
The Bearcats (16-2 overall, 9-1 MIAA) will enter Friday's action one game out of first place in the MIAA standings. Central Missouri is 10-1 in league play and Washburn holds down the top stop in the MIAA standings at 11-1.
 
The Bearcats own a 35-27-1 lead all-time vs. Pittsburg State (11-9 overall, 5-7 MIAA). The Bearcats have defeated the Gorillas in seven straight matches entering Friday's match. In that seven-match win streak, Northwest has won 21 sets and lost only four to PSU. PSU dropped a 3-1 decision Tuesday night at Central Oklahoma giving the Gorillas four losses in their last five matches.

Northwest holds a 40-28-1 lead in the all-time series with Missouri Southern (3-18 overall, 0-11 MIAA). Northwest has won 10 consecutive matches with Missouri Southern. The Bearcats have been victorious over the Lions in 16 of the last 17 matchups. Northwest and Missouri Southern will also make up an earlier postponed match on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. Missouri Southern enters Friday's action in the midst of a 14-match losing skid.
 
Northwest's nine-match winning streak ranks tied for the fourth-longest streak in school history. The Bearcats set the school record for longest winning streak in the 1980 season with a 23-match streak. Northwest had a pair of 15-match winning streaks in the 1984 and 2016 seasons.
 
Northwest's Longest Winning Streaks
1. 23 (Sept. 12, 1980 – Oct. 7, 1980)
2. 15 (Sept. 7, 1984 – Sept. 21, 1984)
    15 (Sept. 2, 2016 – Sept. 30, 2016)
4. 9 (Oct. 3, 1984 – Oct. 12, 1984)
    9 (Sept. 16, 1994 – Oct. 1, 1994)
    9 (Sept. 7, 2018 – Sept. 28, 2018)
    9 (Sept. 18, 2021 – pres.)
8. 8 (Oct. 25, 1980 – Nov. 1, 1980)
    8 (Sept. 12, 1981 – Sept. 25, 1981)
    8 (Oct. 3, 1981 – Oct. 16, 1981)

Northwest is ranked No. 7 in the nation in assists per set (13.39). The Bearcats are also ranked No. 7 in the country in kills per set (14.59).
 
The first set result has not been a tell-tale sign for the Bearcat volleyball team this season. Northwest has dropped the first set eight times, but has gone on to win seven of the eight matches. Northwest is 9-1 when winning the initial set.
 
Northwest has been perfect on the road this season putting together a 6-0 mark. The Bearcats have produced a record of 11-1 in road/neutral matches this year.
 
Most Road Wins – Single-Season
1. - 1994 - 10
2. - 1980 - 9
3. - 1999 - 8
      2018 - 8
5. - 2019 – 7
6. - 2005 - 6
       2016 - 6
       2017 – 6
       2021 – 6
10. - 1993 - 5
       1997 - 5
       1998 – 5
 
The Bearcats achieved the highest ranking in program history at No. 6 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches' Association Division II Top 25 rankings. It marks the 30th 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
Nov. 4, 2019 – No. 14
Nov. 11, 2019 – No. 19
Nov. 18, 2019 – No. 20
Nov. 25, 2019 – No. 21
Dec. 16, 2019 – No. 25
2021 Preseason – No. 17
Sept. 6, 2021 – No. 8
Sept. 13, 2021 – No. 12
Sept. 20, 2021 – No. 13
Sept. 27, 2021 – No. 13
Oct. 4, 2021 – No. 10
Oct. 11, 2021 – No. 9
Oct. 18, 201 – No. 6
 
The Bearcats have recorded three wins this year over top-10 ranked opponents. Northwest posted the program's first-ever win over a No. 1-ranked foe when the Bearcats took down the top-ranked Washburn Ichabods in five sets on Oct. 15 in the Hughes Fieldhouse. Northwest posted a five-set win over then No. 5-ranked Tampa on Sept. 4. Northwest recorded a 3-1 win at No. 10-ranked Nebraska-Kearney on Oct. 1.
 
This year marks the third straight season that Northwest has knocked off a top-10 ranked opponent. Northwest scored a 3-0 win over No. 9-ranked Central Missouri in the 2018 season. In 2019, Northwest recorded a 3-1 victory over No. 7-ranked Northern State.
 
The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball squad provided a clean sweep of this week's MIAA Volleyball Athlete of the Week awards.

The Bearcats completed the week's worth of action with a 3-0 victory over Missouri Western, a 3-2 win over No. 1-ranked Washburn and a 3-0 triumph over Emporia State. 

Sophomore Alyssa Rezac (Wahoo, Neb.) secured setter of the week honors for the third consecutive week. Junior Hannah Koechl tallied defensive athlete of the week accolades for the second straight week. Redshirt freshman Payton Kirchhoefer (Omaha, Neb.) was named the offensive athlete of the week. 
 
Northwest's MIAA Athletes of the Week (2021)
Alyssa Rezac (Setter) - Oct. 4
Kelsey Havel (Offensive) - Oct. 4
Alyssa Rezac (Setter) - Oct. 11
Hannah Koechl (Defensive) - Oct. 11
Payton Kirchhoefer (Offensive) - Oct. 18
Alyssa Rezac (Setter) - Oct. 18
Hannah Koechl (Defensive) - Oct. 18
 
Sophomore Alyssa Rezac (Wahoo, Neb.) leads Northwest in assists (659 – 11.36 assists per set). She ranks No. 2 in the MIAA and No. 6 in the nation in assists per set. Rezac regaled the UCO Bronchos with a career-high 66 assists and 16 digs in a five-set triumph in Edmond, Okla. She posted a phenomenal 48-assist, 24-dig effort in a five-set win over No. 5 Tampa (Sept. 4). Rezac sparked the No. 13 Bearcats to a 3-1 win over Pittsburg State. Rezac tallied a career-high 54 assists and added 19 digs in the four-set win against the Gorillas. Rezac had 60 assists, 10 digs, five blocks and three kills in a 3-2 win over No. 1-ranked Washburn. She has nine double-doubles this season and 10 for her career.
 
MIAA Assists Per Set Leaders (through Oct. 19)
1. Maddie Squiers (Neb.-Kearney)     11.46
2. Alyssa Rezac (Northwest)               11.36
3. Allison Sadler (Washburn)              10.10
4. Brianna Richard (Pittsburg State)   9.94
5. Ally Offerdahl (Central Missouri)    9.53
 
Freshman Payton Kirchhoefer (Omaha, Neb.) leads the squad in kills (249 – 3.61 kills/set). She leads the MIAA in kills per set (3.61). She ranks second in the MIAA in total kills (249). Kirchhoefer is tied for fourth in the MIAA in total points scored (269.5). Kirchhoefer posted a season-best 26 kills in a four-set match with Michigan Tech (Sept. 10). Kirchhoefer matched her career-high with 26 kills in Northwest's 3-2 win over No. 1-ranked Washburn. She has tallied 15 double-figure kill matches, including eight straight heading into Friday's match at Pittsburg State. Kirchhoefer earned her first MIAA offensive athlete of the week award for her performance in wins over Missouri Western, No. 1 Washburn and Emporia State.
 
MIAA Total Kill Leaders (through Oct. 19)
1. Genna Berg (Washburn)                 259
1. Payton Kirchhoefer (Northwest)    249
1. Courtney Lane (Central Okla.)        248
4. Meg Auten (Pittsburg State)          237
5. Allison Maxwell (Washburn)          227
 
MIAA Points Scored Leaders (through Oct. 19)
1. Genna Berg (Washburn)                 287.0
2. Courtney Lane (Central Okla.)        281.5
3. Allison Maxwell (Washburn)          275.5
4. Audrey Fisher (Central Missouri)   269.5
    Payton Kirchhoefer (Northwest)    269.5
 
Junior Hannah Koechl (Innsbruck Austria) has posted a team-best 334 digs (4.84 digs/set) through the first 18 matches of the season. She ranks fifth in the MIAA in total digs (334). She has reached double-figure dig totals in 15 of the 18 matches. She registered a season-high 38 digs in a five-set win over Grand Valley State (Sept. 10). She has earned back-to-back MIAA defensive player of the week awards.
 
MIAA Total Dig Leaders (through Oct. 19)
1. Faith Rottinghaus (Washburn)       458
2. Katie Le (Central Oklahoma)          407
3. Rylie Fornelli (Emporia State)         373
4. Jessica Sachen (Missouri Western) 343
5. Hannah Koechl (Nothwest)            334
 
Junior Rachel Sturdevant (Kansas City, Mo.) is hitting a team-best .323, which ranks No. 7 in the MIAA. Sturdevant put together back-to-back 14-kill performances against Newman and Central Oklahoma. Sturdevant hit .370 against the Jets and .333 against the Bronchos. She has posted seven double-figure kill totals this season.
 
Sophomore Jaden Ferguson (Omaha, Neb.) is hitting .303 and ranks No. 2 in the team in kills (192 – 2.78 kills/set). Ferguson notched a season-best 18 kills vs. Grand Valley State (Sept. 10). Ferguson has had at least eight kills in 15 of Northwest's 18 matches this season. Ferguson was credited with a career-high seven blocks in a five-set win over No. 5-ranked Tampa (Sept. 4).
 
Redshirt freshman Abby Brunssen (Atkins, Iowa) leads the Bearcats in blocks (57). Brunssen produced a season-high seven blocks in Northwest's 3-1 win at No. 10-ranked Nebraska-Kearney. She is credited the eighth-best attack percentage in a four-set match in Bearcat history against Missouri Western. Brunssen tallied a .562 attack percentage with 11 kills and two errors on 16 attacks in the four-set win over the Griffons. Brunssen went for back-to-back six-block matches at Newman and at Central Oklahoma. She also produced a career-high 13 kills in the five-set triumph over UCO. She has produced five double-figure kill matches in 2021.
 
Senior setter Maddy Ahrens (Appleton, Wis.) ranks No. 6 in Northwest history with 2,801 career assists. Ahrens notched first-team all-MIAA honors in 2018 and followed up with second-team all-MIAA status in 2019.
 
Northwest Career Assists
1. Jennifer Pittrich – 5,428 (1993-1996)
2. Megan Danek – 5,064 (1999-2002)
3. Sarah Dannettell – 3,949 (2014-2017)
4. Laira Akin – 3,600 (2009-2011)
5. Abby Wilms – 3,104 (1997-1998)
6. Maddy Ahrens – 2,801 (2017-pr.)
 
Northwest secured its 16th 20-win season in program history in 2019. It marks the third time in four years that Northwest reached 20 wins or more in a season. It is the first back-to-back 20-win seasons for the Bearcats since 1999. Northwest had a stretch of six consecutive 20-win seasons from 1980 to 1985.
 
Northwest's 20-Win Seasons
52 – 1980
51 – 1981
46 – 1984
32 – 1982
30 – 1978
28 – 1979
27 – 1983
26 – 1994
25 – 1985, 1999
22 – 2016, 2018
21 – 1990, 1998
20 – 1996, 2019
 
For the eighth consecutive year and 15th 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 fifth straight year with a GPA ranked among the top-25 NCAA Division II schools. The Bearcat volleyball team recorded a 3.80 cumulative team grade point average during the 2020-21 season. Northwest is one of 161 NCAA Division II schools to gain the AVCA Team Academic Award this year.

The Bearcats came in at No. 3 in the preseason MIAA coaches' poll. Northwest received a pair of first place votes and was only two points away from second-place Washburn.
 
2021 MIAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Nebraska Kearney (7) - 96 points
2. Washburn (2) - 88 points
3. Northwest Missouri (2) - 86 points
4. Central Missouri - 75 points
5. Central Oklahoma - 62 points
6. Missouri Western - 48 points
7. Missouri Southern - 47 points
8. Pittsburg State - 43 points
9. Fort Hays State - 25 points
10. Emporia State - 20 points
11. Newman - 15 points
*First Place Votes Are in Parentheses
*Coaches Are Not Allowed To Vote For Their Own Team
 
Tenth-year head coach Amy Woerth ranks No. 3 in Bearcat coaching history with 151 career victories, trailing only Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) with 199 wins and Pam Stanek (1977-1981) with 176 triumphs. Woerth is 151-111 as the Bearcats' head coach.
 
The Bearcats posted a 14-3 mark this past spring during an abbreviated schedule of MIAA foes.
 
The Bearcats have named Hallie Sidney, Alyssa Rezac and Maddy Ahrens as their team captains for the 2021 season. Sidney will miss the 2021 season as she recovers from an injury.