Women's Volleyball 10/6/2022 10:28:00 AM

No. 24 UCO Hosts No. 10 Northwest Missouri Friday

A pair of top-25 teams square off Friday night in Hamilton Field House when No. 24-ranked Central Oklahoma hosts No. 10 Northwest Missouri in a key Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association showdown.

Match-time is 6 p.m.

The Bronchos are 18-2 overall and atop the league standings at 8-2. The Bearcats from Maryville, Mo. are 12-4 on the season and tied for third in the conference at 6-2.

"It's going to be a battle and we'll have to be at our best to have a chance," head coach Edgar Miraku said. "Northwest has a great team with a lot of weapons. It will be a big challenge for us, but our players are looking forward to it."

The top four teams in the MIAA standings are ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association – No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney, No. 10 NWMSU, No. 23 Central Missouri and No. 24 UCO.

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO swept Newman Tuesday night for its third straight win.

The Bronchos lead NCAA Division II in five statistical categories – total kills (1,086), total assists (991), total digs (1,435), total attacks (3,092) and attacks per set (41.23).

UCO also has three individual national leaders in sophomore Jaedynn Evans, freshman Lindsey Houran and freshman Sydney Huck.

Evans tops Division II in total digs (504) and digs per set (6.72), Houran is first in total assists (881) while ranking third in assists per set (11.75) and Huck leads in total kills (308). Huck's 4.4 kills per set average is 11th-best nationally.

Sophomore Mallorie Koehn has added 215 kills this season, a 3.07 per-set average. Sophomore Jenna Karp is hitting .309 with 162 kills and a team-high 55 blocks.

ABOUT THE BEARCATS: Northwest Missouri ranks second in the MIAA with a .249 attack percentage and two players hitting above .300.

Jaden Ferguson is hitting .341 with 162 kills and Avery Kemp is at .310 with 123 kills. Payton Kirchhoefer has added 135 kills, while Abby Brunssen has 88 kills and a team-best 53 blocks.

UCO has a big 16-4 series advantage, but the Bearcats won both meetings last year.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Jaedynn Evans: DS/LIB; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#7 Jenna Karp: MB; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#4 Mallorie Koehn: OH; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#1 Lindsey Houran: S; 5' 8"; Freshman

#14 Sydney Huck: OH; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#6 Jaedynn Evans
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: DS/LIB

#7 Jenna Karp
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: MB

#4 Mallorie Koehn
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: OH

#1 Lindsey Houran
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: S

#14 Sydney Huck
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: OH