Fri., Oct. 13
No. 21 Central Oklahoma at Northwest Missouri State, 6 p.m. | MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
 
Sat., Oct. 14
Pittsburg State at Northwest Missouri State, 3 p.m. | MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball squad (9-8 overall 4-5 MIAA) will settle in for a stretch of seven of nine home matches in Bearcat Arena beginning Friday.
 
Northwest (9-8 overall, 4-5 MIAA) will look to end a two-match losing skid by playing host to the No. 21-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos Friday at 6 p.m. The Bronchos (16-3 overall, 7-2 MIAA) have won three straight matches. UCO's only two MIAA losses came at home to Central Missouri in five sets and on the road at No. 10-ranked Nebraska-Kearney in four set.
 
Friday's match will also serve as a Pink Out for the Bearcat volleyball team.
 
The Bearcats will entertain the Pittsburg State Gorillas on Saturday at 3 p.m. Pittsburg State is 6-11 overall and 2-7 in league play. The Gorillas have lost five straight matches heading into Friday's collision with Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
Northwest is 3-4 in five-set matches this season. Northwest is 6-2 in three-set matches. The Bearcats played only their second four-set match of the season in Tuesday's 3-1 loss at Central Missouri. Northwest is 0-2 in four-set matches this season with the other setback coming against Harding in a non-conference match.
 
Northwest has fared extremely well in the fourth set of matches this year by posting a mark of 7-2 in the fourth set. Northwest is 10-7 in the opening set of matches. Northwest also owns a winning mark in the third set at 9-8.
 
Northwest is averaging 12.72 kills per set in 67 sets this season. The Bearcats are averaging 1.36 service aces per set and 1.66 blocks per set. Northwest is averaging 15.73 points per set in 17 matches.
 
Bearcat opponents are averaging 12.09 kills per set. Northwest opponents are averaging 0.99 service aces and 2.27 blocks per set. Northwest opponents are averaging 15.34 points per set in 17 matches.
 
Junior Kyah Luhring has recorded a team-high 305 digs (4.55 digs/set). Luhring ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in total digs. She ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in digs per set. Luhring has tallied 30-dig matches this season. She has posted seven matches of 20 or more digs.
 
Luhring set the school record for digs in a three-set match with 31 against Newman. Her 31 digs rank second in the nation this year in three-set matches. She was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Week after her 31-dig effort vs. Newman.
 
Northwest's Single-Match Digs (3 Sets)
1. 31, Kyah Luhring vs. Newman (9/22/23)
2. 28, Paige Spangenberg vs. Washburn (11/18/10)
    28, Kyah Lulhring vs. Central Oklahoma (11/2/22)
4. 27, Becky Brown vs. Missouri Western (10/27/93)
5. 26, Jill Quast vs. Simpson (10/14/00)
    26, Paige Spangenberg vs. Southwest Baptist (10/30/10)
    26, Tori Beckman vs. Central Oklahoma (10/12/12)
 
NCAA Single-Match High Digs (3-set matches) in 2023
1. 32, Meagan Jimenez, Cameron vs. Missouri Southern (9/1/23)
2. 31, Kyah Luhring, Northwest Mo. St. vs. Newman (9/22/23)
3. 30, Najlaa Williams, Virginia St. vs. Claflin (9/30/23)
    30, Christine Funk, Montana State Billings vs. Rocky Mountain (9/25/23)
    30, Morgan Schmutzler, Franklin Pierce vs. Post (9/8/23)
    30, Elly Collins, Wilmington vs. Roberts Wesleyan (9/2/23)
 
Redshirt freshman Ella Caffery is tops in the team in service aces (21) and assists (496). She ranks third on the team in blocks (23) and fourth on the squad in digs (140). Caffery served up a season-high six aces against Kentucky Wesleyan in the season opener. Caffery has tallied five matches of 40 or more assists this season, including a pair of 50-assist matches against Missouri Southern and Central Missouri. She leads the Bearcats with six double-doubles this season. Caffery was named the MIAA Setter of the Week on Sept. 25 after helping the Bearcats produce 3-0 sweeps of Missouri Western and Newman.
 
Active Career Double-Doubles
Payton Kirchhoefer     19
Ella Caffery                  6
Olivia Dir                       4
Natalie Laiolo              1
 
Junior Kristen Ford is tied for second on the team in total digs (152). She tallied a career-high 33 digs in a 3-2 loss to Central Missouri. She has posted six double-figure dig totals this year.
 
Junior middle hitter Abby Brunssen leads the Bearcats in total blocks (52). She ranks second on the squad in kills (139). Brunssen posted a season-best seven blocks in a 3-0 win at Fort Hays State. Brunssen has seven double-figure kill matches, including a season-high 17 in a five-set match with Missouri Southern.
 
Junior Avery Kemp is tops on the team in points scored (186). She holds the team lead in kills (153). Kemp is tops on the team in hitting percentage (.305). Kemp put up a 13-kill effort while hitting .632 in a 3-0 win at Fort Hays State. Kemp notched 11 kills in a five-set win at Emporia State. Kemp added seven blocks vs. the Hornets. Kemp came back with a 12-kill match while hitting .556 against No. 15-ranked Washburn. She has totaled nine double-figure kill matches, including a season-high 18 in a five-set victory at William Jewell. She has posted two or more blocks in 10 consecutive matches.
 
Junior Payton Kirchhoefer has totaled 945 kills and 644 digs in 73 matches in her Bearcat career. She has landed 123 kills and tallied 152 digs this season. Kirchhoefer claimed her fifth double-double of the season with 15 kills and 18 digs against Central Missouri. It was the 19th double-double of her Bearcat career. She set a career-high with 27 digs in a five-set win at Emporia State. She has posted eight career matches of 20 or more digs. Kirchhoefer is a two-time AVCA All-America selection and a two-time first-team all-MIAA pick. She was the MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2021.
 
Junior Olivia Dir ranks fifth on the squad with 99 kills. She has seen action in 16 matches. Dir has notched four double-figure kill matches. She tallied a season-high 15 kills in a five-set match with Central Missouri. Dir has posted four career double-doubles and has one this year with a 14-kill, 15-dig effort in a 3-0 win over Midwestern State.
 
Graduate transfer Lauren Casey ranks fourth on the team in kills (120). She has seen action in 16 matches. She secured a season-high 15 kills in a five-set victory at Emporia State. Casey scored three straight points down the stretch in the fifth set at Emporia State to lift the Bearcats to the victory. Northwest led 11-9 when Casey went on a three-kill stretch to put the match out of reach for the Hornets.
 
Northwest is receiving the eighth-most votes of the unranked teams in this week's AVCA/Taraflex Top 25 Coaches' Poll. Northwest has been ranked 52 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 16 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
Oct. 17, 2022 – No. 13
Oct. 24, 2022 – No. 12
Oct. 31, 2022 – No. 10
Nov. 7, 2022 – No. 10
Nov. 14, 2022 – No. 12
Final 2022 – No. 13
2023 Preseason – No. 13
Sept. 4, 2023 – No. 15
Sept. 11, 2023 – No. 18
Sept. 18, 2023 – No. 24
 
Bearcat 13th-year head coach Amy Woerth has compiled an overall mark of 194-130. Woerth ranks No. 2 in coaching victories in program history with 194 – trailing only Sarah Pelster (199 wins from 1991-2002). Woerth captured her second MIAA Coach of the Year award in 2022. Woerth first earned MIAA Coach of the Year honors in 2018 and landed the award again in 2022 after guiding the Bearcats to the first MIAA regular season crown in program history. Woerth has led the Bearcats to four consecutive 20-win seasons. It is the fifth 20-win season in her tenure. 

Northwest Volleyball Coaching Victories
1. Sarah Pelster (1991-2002) - 199
2. Amy Woerth (2012-current) - 194
3. Pam Stanek (1977-81) - 176
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) - .599 (194-130)
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)