No. 4-ranked Central Oklahoma hits the road this weekend for a pair of Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association matches.
The Bronchos, 19-2 on the season and 4-2 in league play, travel to Hays, Kansas Friday for a 6 p.m. contest against Fort Hays State (13-6, 2-5) before moving on to Kearney, Nebraska Saturday for a 1 p.m. showdown with No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney (18-2, 5-2).
"It's another big weekend for us," head coach Edgar Miraku said. "We've had a couple of tough losses the last two weeks, but there are a lot of great teams in our conference.
"We just have to focus on ourselves and keep working hard at getting better every time we take the court."
UCO follows this weekend's road trip with a visit to MIAA foe Arkansas-Fort Smith next Wednesday before returning home Oct. 25 to host the Lions.
ABOUT THE BRONCHOS: UCO split two home matches last week, pulling out a five-set victory over Northwest Missouri before falling to Missouri Western in four sets.
Four players have 150-plus kills to lead Central's balanced offensive attack.
Senior Mikiah Perdue has a team-high 184 kills (2.79/set) with a .292 attack percentage while also leading the Bronchos in solo (22) and assisted (37) blocks.
Senior Kedron Burk is hitting .290 with 181 kills (2.74/set) and 48 total blocks (17 solo, 31 assisted).
Senior Sydney Huck has been on a tear lately after missing significant playing time early to injury. The three-time First-Team All-MIAA performer has 179 kills in 46 sets, a 3.89 per-set average that leads the league.
She's had double-digit kills in seven straight matches – giving her 70 for her stellar career – and has averaged 15.2 kills an outing in that stretch. Huck moved into 10th place on UCO's career kills last week and now has 1,312, needing 77 more for ninth.
Freshman Kamryn Glover missed both matches to injury last week but still has 158 kills (2.87/set) on the season along with a team-high 26 service aces, 90 digs and 21 total blocks.
Senior Lindsey Houran continues to guide the UCO offense from her setter spot. She leads the MIAA and ranks seventh nationally in assists per set (11.35) and is fifth in Division II in total assists with 715.
Houran has had five matches with 40-plus assists this season -- giving her 54 for her career – and is third on the school's all-time assists list with 4,607.
Junior libero Kaitlyn Parrott continues to pace UCO's defensive efforts, having accumulated 387 digs. She ranks sixth nationally in total digs and is third in digs per set with 5.86.
Parrott has had nine matches with 20-plus digs this season, including three straight, and had a career-high 31 in the loss to Missouri Western.
ABOUT THE TIGERS: Fort Hays State has lost four straight after falling to No. 2 Washburn and Emporia State on the road last weekend. The Tigers are 8-2 at home this season.
FHSU is led by Gracie Rains, who has 166 kills (2.82/set) with 15 blocks. Ashyln Reeves has 161 kills (2.48/set) and a team-high 56 total blocks, while Calva Stucky Reeves has 122 kills with 42 total blocks.
UCO owns a 27-8 lead in a series that started in 1990 and has won the last 15 meetings between the two.
ABOUT THE LOPERS: No. 5-ranked Nebraska-Kearney lost its first two matches of the season last weekend, falling to Emporia State and No. 2 Washburn on back-to-back days.
The defending MIAA champion Lopers, who are 9-0 at home this season, are paced by Carly Purdy's 218 kills (3.52/set). Emilee Lane is hitting .313 with 186 kills (3.21/set) and Brynn Stowell is hitting .332 with 148 kills (2.69/set).
UNK has a 22-8 lead in the rivalry, though the Bronchos have won the last three meetings.
