UCO Hosts Two League Matches This Weekend

10/26/2017 11:25:00 AM

McKenzie Fyfe

No. 13-ranked Central Oklahoma is home for a pair of Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association matches this weekend, hosting Missouri Southern at 5:30 p.m. Friday and Southwest Baptist at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Bronchos, 23-3 on the season, are in a three-way tie for second in the league at 10-2 behind Nebraska-Kearney (11-1). The Lions are 11-14 overall and 4-8 in the conference, while the Bearcats are 2-24 and 1-11.

It's the second meeting of the season for UCO against the two teams, with the Bronchos claiming road sweeps on back-to-back days Sept. 22-23.

Central has won 24 of its last 25 matches at Hamilton Field House and sixth-year head coach Edgar Miraku will be gunning for his 150th career win this weekend.

"It's a long season and we're a little beat up right now," said Miraku, who has a stellar 149-45 record with the Bronchos. "Every match is important with the way the conference race is shaping up and we have to be ready to play our best every time we step on the court."

UCO leads the league and ranks 14th in NCAA Division II with a .259 hitting percentage and the Bronchos are second in the MIAA in both kills (13.86/set) and assists (12.80/set).

Taylor Bevis still tops the conference in kills with 5.22 per set, which ranks third nationally. The junior All-American has 397 kills on the season and 1,208 for her career.

Jordan Spence has added 206 kills (2.40/set) and is second in the MIAA in hitting percentage at .344 in addition to ranking 10th in blocks (0.99/set). Alexis Washington ranks seventh in the league in blocks (1.07/set) and eighth in hitting percentage (.297) while having collected130 kills (1.71/set).

McKenzie Fyfe's 10.30 assists per set are fourth-best in the conference and Dominique Lipari's 4.81 digs per set are fifth-best.

UCO has long winning streaks against both opponents this weekend. The Bronchos have won 10 straight over MSSU and seven in a row against SBU.

Central goes on its final regular-season road-trip next week with matches at Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney Nov. 3-4 before finishing with home matches against Emporia State and Washburn Nov. 10-11. The eight-team MIAA Post-season Tournament starts Nov. 14.

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