Tues, Oct. 11
No. 25 Central Missouri at No. 15 Northwest Missouri State, 6 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Following a four-week trek that saw the Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team (13-5 overall, 7-3 MIAA) play seven of its last eight matches on the road, the Bearcats will return home to take on the University of Central Missouri Jennies (12-7 overall, 7-3 MIAA) on Tuesday at Bearcat Arena.
 
Tuesday's match will be the first in a stretch of matches that will feature eight of 10 at home for the Bearcats. Northwest sits only a game and ½ out of first place in the MIAA standings. The AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll features five ranked teams from the MIAA in No. 8 Nebraska-Kearney, No. 10 Washburn, No. 15 Northwest Missouri State, No. 19 Central Oklahoma and No. 25 Central Missouri.
 
MIAA Standings
Central Oklahoma       9-2
Neb.-Kearney              9-2
Washburn                   8-3
Northwest Mo. St.      7-3
Central Missouri         7-3
Pittsburg State            6-6
Fort Hays State           4-7
Missouri Southern      3-7
Missouri Western       3-8
Newman                     2-8
Emporia State             1-10
 
Northwest is 4-4 against ranked foes this season, including a mark of 2-2 against top-10 ranked opponents.
 
Northwest vs. Top-25 Ranked Foes in 2022
W, 3-1 at No. 14 West Texas A&M (8/27)
W, 3-0 vs. No. 16 Angelo State (9/2)
L, 3-1 at No. 4 MSU Denver (9/2)
W, 3-1 vs. No. 3 Western Washington (9/3)
L, 3-2 at No. 18 Central Missouri (9/7)
W, 3-1 at No. 2 Washburn (9/17)
L, 3-0 at No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney (9/30)
L, 3-0 at No. 24 Central Oklahoma (10/7)
 
Central Missouri holds a 104-12-1 lead in the all-time series with Northwest. The Jennies have won seven of the last eight matches with the Bearcats. Northwest's last win at home over UCM came Sept. 15, 2018.
 
Northwest is 12-1 this season when winning the first two sets. Northwest went 15-2 last season when taking the first two sets of a match. Since the start of the 2018 season, Northwest is 61-6 when winning the first two sets.
 
The Bearcats rank second in the MIAA in team hitting percentage (.254). Northwest ranks No. 3 in kills (13.66 kills/set). Northwest leads the MIAA in opponent blocks (1.57 blocks/set).
 
Jaden Ferguson ranks No. 8 in the league in hitting percentage (.330) with 184 kills. Ferguson is hitting .342 with 119 kills in 10 MIAA matches. In MIAA matches, Ferguson ranks No. 8 in total kills (119).
 
Kristen Ford ranks No. 9 in the MIAA in digs per set (4.29). In MIAA matches only, Ford ranks No. 5 in the league in digs per set (4.67).
 
Setter Alyssa reached the 2,000-career assist mark in Northwest's 3-0 win over Newman. Rezac has posted 2,026 career assists. Rezac averaged 10.83 assists per set as Northwest split a pair of road matches. Rezac dished out 28 assists at Central Oklahoma. She then handed out 37 assists in a 3-0 win at Newman on Saturday afternoon. Rezac ranks No. 5 in the MIAA in assists per set (10.05) and that bumps up to No. 2 in MIAA matches only (11.52 assists/set). She ranks No. 4 in the league in service aces per set (0.40). She has posted six double-doubles this season and 22 in her Bearcat career.
 
Double-Doubles (2022)
Alyssa Rezac               6
Payton Kirchhoefer     5
Jaden Ferguson           4
Olivia Dir                     2
Kelly Wiedemann        2
 
Active Career Double-Doubles
Hallie Sidney               25
Alyssa Rezac               22
Payton Kirchhoefer     5
Jaden Ferguson           5
Olivia Dir                     3
Kelly Wiedemann       2
 
Payton Kirchhoefer leads the Bearcats in kills per set (3.00). She ranks second on the team in total kills (135). She has posted eight double-figure kill performances this season, including a season-high 18 kills in a 3-1 win over West Texas A&M. She had a 22-dig effort at MSU Denver. Kirchhoefer averaged 4.33 kills per set and notched a pair of double-doubles as Northwest split two road MIAA matches. Kirchhoefer tallied 13 kills and 10 digs in a 3-0 loss at No. 24-ranked Central Oklahoma. Kirchhoefer hit .303 against the Bronchos. Kirchhoefer secured 13 kills and 10 digs while hitting .333 in a 3-0 sweep of Newman.

Abby Brunssen ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in blocks per set (1.08). Brunssen had a season-high nine blocks against Angelo State. Brunssen has tallied a team-best 53 blocks in 2022.
 
Avery Kemp ranks No. 9 in the MIAA in hitting percentage (.322). Kemp has posted 141 kills on the season. Kemp has recorded six double-figure kill matches this season. Kemp secured the sixth-best three-set hitting percentage total in Bearcat history with a .611 hitting effort against Missouri Southern (Sept. 25).

Kyah Luhring averaged a team-best 4.50 digs per set as Northwest split a pair of MIAA matchups at Central Oklahoma and at Newman. Luhring tallied 10 digs against Central Oklahoma and then added 17 digs in a win at Newman.
 
Kate Frakes made her season debut at Fort Hays State and put on a show. Frakes tied for the sixth-best three-set hitting percentage in program history with 12 kills on 18 swings with one error (.611 hitting percentage) against the Tigers on Oct. 1.
 
Head coach Amy Woerth is in her 11th year at the helm of the Bearcat volleyball program. Woerth has compiled an overall mark of 174-120. Woerth ranks No. 3 in coaching victories in program history with 174 – trailing only Sarah Pelster (199 wins from 1991-2002) and Pam Stanek (176 wins from 1977-1981). 
 
Northwest Volleyball Coaching Victories
1. Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) - 199
2. Pam Stanek (1977-81) - 176
3. Amy Woerth (2012-current) - 174
4. Susie Homan (1982-84) - 105
5. Peggy Voisin (1987-90) - 64
6. Anna Tool (2006-09) - 56
7. Cathie Schulte (1985-86) - 37
8. Lori Slight (2003-05) - 35
9. Jessica Reinhart (2010-11) - 29
10. Theresa Hospodarski (1975-76) – 12
 
Northwest Volleyball Coaching Win Percentage
1. Pam Stanek (1977-81) - .655 (174-93-7)
2. Susie Homan (1982-84) - .642 (105-58-2)
3. Amy Woerth (2012-current) - .591 (174-120)
4. Jessica Reinhart (2010-11) - .475 (29-32)
5. Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) - .468 (199-226)
6. Anna Tool (2006-09) - .415 (51-72)
7. Cathie Schulte (1985-86) - .411 (37-53)
8. Peggy Voisin (1987-90) - .349 (64-114)
9. Lori Slight (2003-05) - .354 (35-64)
10. Theresa Hospodarski (1975-76) - .237 (12-43-4)
 
Woerth and the Bearcats earned the program's second NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021. Northwest set a school record with 17 MIAA victories last season. The previous best of 14 was set in 2018.

Northwest is ranked No. 15 in this week's AVCA Top 25 Coaches' Poll. Northwest has been ranked 44 times in its program history. 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 14 times.

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
Nov. 22, 2021 – No. 4
Dec. 18, 2021 – No. 12
2022 Preseason – No. 12
Aug. 29, 2022 – No. 10
Sept. 5, 2022 – No. 12
Sept. 12, 2022 – No. 13
Sept. 19, 2022 – No. 11
Sept. 26, 2022 – No. 10
Oct. 3, 2022 – No. 10
Oct. 10, 2022 – No. 15