Tuesday, Nov. 16
Fort Hays State at Northwest Missouri State, 6 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State volleyball team will play host to the Fort Hays State Tigers in a quarterfinal matchup of the 2021 MIAA Tournament Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Bearcat Arena.
 
2021 MIAA Volleyball Championship – Quarterfinal Matches, Locations, Times:
No. 1 Central Missouri hosts No. 8 Missouri Western – Warrensburg, Mo. – Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.
No. 4 Nebraska Kearney hosts No. 5 Central Oklahoma – Kearney, Neb. – Nov. 16 at 6 p.m.
No. 2 Northwest Missouri hosts No. 7 Fort Hays State – Maryville, Mo. – Nov. 16 at 6 p.m.
No. 3 Washburn hosts No. 6 Pittsburg State – Topeka, Kan. – Nov. 16 at 6 p.m.
 
The semifinals and finals will be played on Friday and Saturday at the highest remaining seed following the quarterfinal matchups on Tuesday.
 
The Bearcats completed their regular season with two more 3-0 sweeps on the road. Northwest took care of Emporia State on Friday in three sets, 25-13, 25-16 and 25-19. Northwest then completed its season series sweep of No. 2-ranked Washburn also in three sets by the count of 25-17, 25-18 and 25-16.
 
Northwest will enter the MIAA Tournament riding a five-match win streak. Only Nebraska-Kearney's 11-match win streak is better entering the league tournament.
 
The No. 5-ranked Northwest Missouri State will wrap up its MIAA regular season slate with road matches against Emporia State University and No. 2-ranked Washburn University.
 
MIAA Standings (as of Nov. 15)
1. Central Missouri     18-2 (25-3 Overall)
2. Northwest Mo. St.  17-3 (22-4 Overall)
3. Washburn               17-3 (25-4 Overall)
4. Nebraska-Kearney  15-5 (24-5 Overall)
5. Central Oklahoma   12-8 (19-9 Overall)
6. Pittsburg State        9-11 (15-13 Overall)
7. Fort Hays State       7-13 (13-16 Overall)
8. Missouri Western   6-14 (14-15 Overall)
9. Newman                 5-15 (9-17 Overall)
10. Emporia State       3-17 (5-23 Overall)
11. Missouri Southern 1-19 (4-26 Overall)
 
Northwest will enter the MIAA Tournament with the highest single-season winning percentage in program history at .857 (24-4 overall). The previous best single-season mark at Northwest came in the 1980 season with an .852 winning percentage (52-9 overall).

Northwest Single-Season Winning Percentage
1. .857 (24-4), 2021
2. .852 (52-9), 1980
3. .783 (46-13), 1984
4. .750 (51-14-1), 1981
5. .733 (22-8), 2018
6. .710 (22-9), 2016
7. .700 (21-9), 2019
8. .694 (25-11), 1999
9. .684 (26-12, 1994
10. .636 (21-12), 1998
 
Fort Hays State (13-16 overall, 7-13 MIAA) finished its regular season Saturday with a 3-0 sweep of Missouri Southern that allowed the Tigers to snap a three-match losing skid.
 
Northwest defeated Fort Hays State in both matchups this season. In Hays, Kan., Northwest scored a 3-0 win over FHSU by the count of 25-18, 25-16 and 25-9. Northwest held off FHSU in Maryville, Mo., in a five-setter (24-26, 25-17, 25-13, 23-25, 15-12). Northwest has won eight straight matchups with Fort Hays State and holds a 22-8-1 all-time record vs. the Tigers.
 
Northwest moved up a spot to No. 4 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches' Association Division II Top 25 rankings. It marks the 34th time in program history that Northwest has been ranked in the AVCA Top 25. Northwest set the program's highest ranking at No. 3 in the Oct. 25, 2021, poll. Northwest has been ranked in the AVCA Top-10 nine times – with eight of those coming in the 2021 season.

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, 2021 – No. 6
Oct. 25, 2021 – No. 3
Nov. 1, 2021 – No. 5
Nov. 8, 2021 – No. 5
Nov. 15, 2021 – No. 4

Northwest won a program-best 17 MIAA matches in 2021. The previous best of 14 MIAA wins was set in 2018. Each of the last five seasons has produced the most MIAA wins in program history.
 
Northwest's MIAA Wins – Single Season
1. 17 – 2021
2. 14 – 2018
3. 13 – 2019
4. 11 – 2017
5. 10 – 1999
    10 – 2010
    10 – 2016
7. 8 – 2011
    8 – 2014
    8 – 2015

Northwest is ranked No. 4 in the nation in assists (1,412). Northwest ranks No. 6 in assists per set (13.58). The Bearcats are ranked No. 5 in the country in kills (1,539). Northwest is ranked No. 6 in kills per set (14.80).
 
The first set result has not been a tell-tale sign for the Bearcat volleyball team this season. Northwest has dropped the first set 10 times, but has gone on to win seven of the 10 matches. Northwest is 17-1 when winning the initial set.
 
The Bearcats are a 5-1 in five-set matches this season.
 
Most Five-Set Wins – Single-Season
1. – 1990 – 7 (7-1)
2. – 1998 – 6 (6-2)
       2019 – 6 (6-2)
4. – 1997 – 5 (5-4)
       2005 – 5 (5-2)
       2016 – 5 (5-5)
       2021 – 5 (5-1)
 
Northwest tied its program record with 10 road wins this season. The Bearcats previously won 10 road matches in the 1994 campaign. The Bearcats have produced a record of 16-2 in road/neutral matches this season. The 16 road/neutral wins are the most in the head coach Amy Woerth coaching era at Northwest.
 
Most Road Wins – Single-Season
1. - 1994 - 10
       2021 - 10
3. - 1980 - 9
4. - 1999 - 8
      2018 - 8
5. - 2019 - 7
6. - 2005 - 6
       2016 - 6
       2017 - 6
10. - 1993 - 5
       1997 - 5
       1998 – 5
 
Road/Neutral Records Under Coach Woerth
2021 – 16-2
2019 – 15-5
2018 – 15-5
2017 – 11-12
2016 – 13-4
2015 – 10-10
2014 – 6-12
2013 – 9-13
 
The Bearcats have recorded four 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. 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.
 
2021 Wins Over Top-10 Opponents
W, 3-2 vs. No. 1 Washburn (Oct. 15)
W, 3-0 at No. 2 Washburn (Nov. 13)
W, 3-2 vs. No. 5 Tampa (Sept. 4)
W, 3-2 at No. 10 Nebraska-Kearney (Oct. 1)
 
Sophomore Alyssa Rezac (Wahoo, Neb.) leads Northwest in assists (1,049 – 11.66 assists per set). She ranks No. 2 in the MIAA and No. 5 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 posted four matches of 60 or more assists in 2021. She has 13 double-doubles this season and 14 for her career.
 
MIAA Assists Per Set Leaders (through Nov. 15)
1. Maddie Squiers (Neb.-Kearney)     11.74
2. Alyssa Rezac (Northwest)               11.66
3. Allison Sadler (Washburn)              10.55
4. Brianna Richard (Pittsburg State)   10.22
5. Ally Offerdahl (Central Missouri)    9.75
 
Freshman Payton Kirchhoefer (Omaha, Neb.) leads the squad in kills (400 – 3.92 kills/set). She leads the MIAA in kills (400), kills per set (3.92), points (425.5) and in points per set (4.17). 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 Nov. 15)
1. Payton Kirchhoefer (Northwest)    400
2. Genna Berg (Washburn)                 352
3. Courtney Lane (Central Okla.)        338
4. Audrey Fisher (Central Missouri)   319
5. Allison Maxwell (Washburn)          309
 
MIAA Kill Per Set Leaders (through Nov. 15)
1. Payton Kirchhoefer (Northwest)    3.92
2. Genna Berg (Washburn)                 3.59
3. Courtney Lane (Central Okla.)        3.48
4. Meg Auten (Pittsburg State)          3.46
5. Emersen Cyza (Nebraska-Kearney) 3.40
 
MIAA Total Points Scored Leaders (through Nov. 15)
1. Payton Kirchhoefer (Northwest)    425.5
2. Audrey Fisher (Central Missouri)   404.0
3. Genna Berg (Washburn)                 389.0
4. Courtney Lane (Central Okla.)        377.0
5. Allison Maxwell (Washburn)          369.0
 
MIAA Points Scored Per Set Leaders (through Nov. 15)
1. Payton Kirchhoefer (Northwest)    4.17
2. Audrey Fisher (Central Missouri)   4.04
3. Genna Berg (Washburn)                 3.97
4. Courtney Lane (Central Okla.)        3.79
5. Meg Auten (Pittsburg State)          3.79
 
Kirchhoefer is moving her way up the Northwest freshman attacks and kills charts. She ranks No. 3 in freshman kills with 400 and No. 4 in freshman attack with 1,029.
 
Northwest Kills by Freshman
1. Abby Sunderman (1997)     486
2. Jill Quast (1997)                  449
3. Payton Kirchhoefer (2021) 400
4. Sara Falcone (2007)            391
5. Diann Davis (1994)             382
 
Northwest Attacks by Freshman
1. Diann Davis (1994)             1,123
2. Jill Quast (1997)                  1,108
3. Allison Hyland (2002)         1,076
4. Payton Kirchhoefer (2021) 1,029
5. Stacy Hoelscher (1989)       1,023
 
Junior Hannah Koechl (Innsbruck Austria) has posted a team-best 483 digs (4.64 digs/set). She ranks No. 6 in the MIAA in total digs (483). She has reached double-figure dig totals in 22 of the 28 matches. She registered a season-high 38 digs in a five-set win over Grand Valley State (Sept. 10).
 
MIAA Total Dig Leaders (through Nov. 15)
1. Faith Rottinghaus (Washburn)       637
2. Katie Le (Central Oklahoma)          582
3. Rylie Fornelli (Emporia State)         534
4. Rylie Barnum (Central Missouri)    524
5. Jessica Sachen (Missouri Western) 497
6. Hannah Koechl (Nothwest)            455
 
Northwest Digs by Junior
1. Paige Spangenberg (2009)              701
2. Olivia Nowakowski (2017)              643
3. Tori Beckham (2011)                      571
4. Terri Palmer (1989)                        511
5. Hannah Koechl (2021)                    483
 
Junior Kelsey Havel (Osage, Iowa) ranks No. 2 on the team in total kills (259). Havel was named the MIAA offensive player of the week Oct. 4. Havel has produced 14 double-figure kill efforts, including a pair of 20-plus kill performances. She posted a season-best 22 kills in a five-set match with Central Missouri (Oct. 26).
 
Redshirt freshman Abby Brunssen (Atkins, Iowa) leads the Bearcats in blocks (71). 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 seven double-figure kill matches in 2021.
 
Junior Rachel Sturdevant (Kansas City, Mo.) leads the team with 34 service aces. Sturdevant is hitting a team-best .321, which ranks No. 8 in the MIAA. Sturdevant has posted seven or more kills in 16 of the last 20 matches. She has posted 10 double-figure kill totals this season. She was honored Nov. 8 as the MIAA volleyball offensive player of the week. Sturdevant (Kansas City, Mo.) hit .532 with 28 kills (3.11 kills/set) to go along with seven service aces and six blocks in Northwest's perfect 3-0 week. Sturdevant notched 10 kills (.667), seven digs, five service aces and three blocks in a sweep of Missouri Southern. She pounded down 10 kills (.529) along with three blocks, three digs and an ace as Northwest swept the season series vs. Central Oklahoma for the first time in program history. Sturdevant finished the weekend with six kills (.400) and four digs in a 3-0 sweep of Newman on Senior Day in Bearcat Arena.
 
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
Rachel Sturdevant (Offense) - Nov. 8
 
Senior setter Maddy Ahrens (Appleton, Wis.) ranks No. 6 in Northwest history with 2,847 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 – 2,847 (2017-pr.)
 
Northwest secured its 17th 20-win season in program history. It marks the fourth time in five years that Northwest reached 20 wins or more in a season. Three straight years of 20-w9win seasons is the longest stretch since Northwest had 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
24 – 2021
22 – 2016, 2018
21 – 1990, 1998
20 – 1996, 2019
 
Northwest's 11-match winning streak ranked as 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. 11 (Sept. 18, 2021 – pres.)
5. 9 (Oct. 3, 1984 – Oct. 12, 1984)
    9 (Sept. 16, 1994 – Oct. 1, 1994)
    9 (Sept. 7, 2018 – Sept. 28, 2018)
8. 8 (Oct. 25, 1980 – Nov. 1, 1980)
    8 (Sept. 12, 1981 – Sept. 25, 1981)
    8 (Oct. 3, 1981 – Oct. 16, 1981)
 
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.
 
Ninth-year head coach Amy Woerth ranks No. 3 in Bearcat coaching history with 158 career victories, trailing only Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) with 199 wins and Pam Stanek (1977-1981) with 176 triumphs. Woerth is 158-111 as the Bearcats' head coach.
 
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.