The Truman volleyball squad hits the halfway point of the 2011 season this week, playing three MIAA matches in four days leading up to Homecoming on Saturday evening.
The Bulldogs (9-6) play host to No. 8 Central Missouri this Wednesday night in Pershing Arena before hitting the road to face Northwest Missouri in Maryville on Friday night.
Truman will turn around and head back to Kirksville, meeting Missouri Western in Pershing on Homecoming Saturday night, with all three matches set for 7:00 pm start times.
Truman is coming off a successful 3-1 weekend at the Washburn Lady Blues Crossover, having picked up key regional wins against Tarleton (Texas) State, Central Oklahoma and Abilene Christian.
Junior middle hitter Megan Sharpe was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 3.00 kills and 1.53 blocks per set, while hitting .339.
The team will be looking to square up its MIAA record after debuting with a 1-2 mark two weeks ago in the conference’s first official week of the season.
In its lone home match thus far in 2011, Truman entertained nearly 1,600 fans with a 3-2 thrilling win against then-No. 24 Emporia State.
Sharpe continues to be the top offensive weapon in head coach Ben Briney’s arsenal, as the two-time all-American is hitting. 304 on 2.91 kills per set, with 1.16 blocks per set defensively.
The ‘Dogs are blocking 2.20 attacks per set and are hitting .193 as a unit on the season. Freshman outside hitter Allie Brak (2.52 k/s), senior outside hitter Molly Sinclair (2.20 k/s) and junior middle hitter Emily Briseno (2.02 k/s) are also among the team’s top producers. Senior Kylie Easlon (5.52 assists/set) and freshman Meghan Zimmerman (4.33 a/s) continue to handle setting duties, while freshman libero Abby Moser (5.45 digs/set) continues to be one of the MIAA’s best back row defenders.
Checking Out the Competition:
#8 Central Missouri (13-3, 4-0 MIAA)
The Bulldogs will be faced with one of its toughest challenges of the season on Wednesday night when they welcome 8th-ranked UCM to Kirksville.
The Jennies are hitting .328 as a team and having won eight straight matches – all by straight sets.
The two-headed combo of Paula Harris and Allie Huffman pace the Jens offensively, with Harris’ 3.65 kills/set (.444 atk %) and Huffman’s 3.83 kills/set (.354 atk %) ranking amongst the MIAA leaders.
Julia Bates, an attacking threat 64 kills on the season, is the team’s setter (11.23 assists/set), while Taylor Krejci has handled back row duties and is averaging 4.66 digs per frame.
Flip Piontek is in his third season at the helm in Warrensburg, having posted a 79-13 record. UCM holds a 54-30-3 all-time series lead, including two sweeps last season.
Courtesy Truman State University
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