Wednesday, Sept. 21
Pittsburg State at No. 11 Northwest Missouri State, 6 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, Sept. 24
No. 11 Northwest Missouri State at Missouri Southern, 3 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
The No. 11-ranked Northwest Missouri State University volleyball squad will have a split week of action with a home match on Wednesday and a road tilt on Saturday.
 
The Bearcats (9-3 overall, 3-1 MIAA) will play host to the Pittsburg State Gorillas (8-5 overall, 2-2 MIAA) Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. Northwest will head to Joplin, Mo., Saturday to take on the Missouri Southern Lions (5-6 overall, 0-2 MIAA) at 3 p.m.
 
Northwest begins the week in a four-way tie for second place in the MIAA standings – a half game out of first place held by Central Missouri (3-0 MIAA). Northwest is tied with Central Oklahoma, Nebraska-Kearney and Washburn for second place in the league ledger.
 
Northwest's three-match win streak is the second-longest active streak in the MIAA behind only UCM's five-match win streak.
 
The Bearcats are 4-2 against top-25 ranked opponents this season. Northwest is 2-1 against top-five ranked teams with victories over No. 2 Washburn and No. 3 Western Washington.
 
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)
 
Northwest is 36-27-1 all-time vs. Pittsburg State. The Bearcats have defeated the Gorillas in eight consecutive matchups. Overall, Northwest has won 14 of the last 16 times the teams have met. Northwest has also won five straight vs. PSU in Maryville.
 
Northwest holds a 42-28-1 lead in the all-time series against Missouri Southern. Northwest has defeated MSSU in 12 straight matchups. Northwest has won 18 of the last 19 matchups with Missouri Southern. Northwest is 10-0 in its last 10 trips to Joplin.
 
Northwest is 8-1 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 57-6 when winning the first two sets.
 
The Bearcats rank third in the MIAA in team hitting percentage (.237). Northwest ranks No. 5 in kills (13/05 kills/set) and blocks (1.91 blocks/set) in the MIAA. Northwest leads the MIAA in opponent blocks (1.69 blocks/set).
 
Jaden Ferguson ranks No. 7 in the league in hitting percentage (.327) with 121 kills. Ferguson is hitting .350 with 56 kills in four MIAA matches. In MIAA matches, Ferguson ranks No. 4 in total kills (56). Ferguson collected a pair of double-doubles and hit .353 while averaging 4.0 kills per set and 4.57 digs per set in leading Northwest to victories at Emporia State and second-ranked Washburn. Ferguson hit .438 with 15 kills and 15 digs in Friday's sweep at Emporia State. She added a service ace and a block against the Hornets. Ferguson belted 13 kills and hit .278 with 17 digs in a four-set triumph over previously undefeated Washburn on Saturday. Ferguson tossed in two service aces and two blocks against the Ichabods.
 
Kristen Ford averaged 5.86 digs per set in leading Northwest to a pair of road wins over Emporia State and second-ranked Washburn. Ford secured 16 digs in a three-set win at Emporia State Friday night. Ford came back with 25 digs in Saturday's four-set triumph over previously undefeated Washburn. Ford ranks No. 7 in the MIAA in digs per set (4.41). In MIAA matches only, Ford ranks No. 5 in the league in digs per set (5.47).
 
Setter Alyssa Rezac averaged 12.29 assists per set and 3.71 digs per set in leading Northwest to wins at Emporia State and previously unbeaten No. 2-ranked Washburn. Rezac handed out 41 assists and notched nine digs to go along with two service aces and a block assists in a 3-0 win at Emporia State. Rezac dished out 45 assists and secured 17 digs in Saturday's 3-1 win at second-ranked Washburn. She added two kills and two service aces to help knock off the Ichabods. Rezac ranks No. 5 in the MIAA in assists per set (9.43) and that bumps up to No. 3 in MIAA matches only (11.47 assists/set). She ranks No. 3 in the league in service aces per set (0.43). She has posted five double-doubles this season and 21 in her Bearcat career.
 
Double-Doubles (2022)
Alyssa Rezac               5
Jaden Ferguson           4
Payton Kirchhoefer     3
Olivia Dir                     2
Kelly Wiedemann        2
 
Active Career Double-Doubles
Hallie Sidney               25
Alyssa Rezac               21
Jaden Ferguson           5
Olivia Dir                     3
Payton Kirchhoefer     3
Kelly Wiedemann       2
 
Payton Kirchhoefer returned to the court against Washburn after having missed three games with an injury. Kirchhoefer picked up a double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs in Northwest's 3-1 win over previously unbeaten and No. 2-ranked Washburn.
 
Abby Brunssen ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in blocks per set (1.07). Brunssen had a season-high nine blocks against Angelo State.
 
Avery Kemp ranks No. 12 in the MIAA in hitting percentage (.301). Kemp has posted 91 kills on the season.
 
Head coach Amy Woerth is in her 11th year at the helm of the Bearcat volleyball program. Woerth has compiled an overall mark of 170-117. Woerth ranks No. 3 in coaching victories in program history with 170 – 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) - 170
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) - .590 (170-118)
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. 11 in this week's AVCA Top 25 Coaches' Poll. Northwest has been ranked 41 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 12 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
 
The Bearcats came in as the favorites in the preseason MIAA coaches' poll. Northwest received three first-place votes and edged out three other schools in a tight vote among the league coaches.
 
2022 MIAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1) Northwest Missouri – 90 Points [3 First-Place Votes]
T2) Nebraska Kearney – 85 Points [3 First-Place Vote]
T2) Washburn – 85 Points [3 First-Place Vote]
T2) Central Missouri – 85 Points [2 First-Place Vote]
5) Central Oklahoma – 60 Points 
6) Pittsburg State – 56 Points
7) Fort Hays State – 44 Points
8) Missouri Western – 43 Points
9) Emporia State – 21 Points 
10) Missouri Southern – 20 Points
11) Newman – 16 Points
*Coaches Are Not Allowed To Vote For Their Own Team
  
For the ninth straight year and 16th time overall, the Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team earned the United States Marine Corps/American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award. The Bearcat volleyball team recorded a 3.57 cumulative team grade point average during the 2021-22 season. Northwest was one of 148 NCAA Division II schools to gain the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award this year.