The 20th-ranked Truman volleyball team will carry its longest winning streak in nearly four full seasons into a three-match stretch this Friday through Tuesday, as the Bulldogs welcome Pittsburg State, Central Oklahoma and Lindenwood to Pershing Arena.
The Bulldogs (19-4, 7-2 MIAA) sit just one game back in the MIAA standings as the final half of the conference season gets into full-swing this week.
Truman will host three teams that have experienced recent success in league play, as PSU visits Kirksville on Friday, Oct. 19, UCO comes to Pershing on Saturday, Oct. 20, and LWU caps off the stretch with a re-match in Kirksville on Tuesday, Oct. 23. All three matches are set to begin at 7:00 pm.
In recent action, Truman ran through a three-match road trip that consisted of nearly 1,500 miles of travel in five days.
The Bulldogs dumped then-No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney on Friday (Oct. 12) in four sets, before sweeping Fort Hays State on Saturday (Oct. 13).
Truman then traveled to future GLVC-foe Missouri S&T on Tuesday (Oct. 16) evening and picked up a five-set win. Sophomore setter Meghan Zimmerman was rewarded with her play at UNK and FHSU with the league’s Specialist of the Week award, as Truman hit a combined .225 in the three wins while holding the opponents to a .152 mark. Senior Megan Sharpe averaged 3.33 kills and 1.08 blocks per set, with sophomore Allie Brak adding 3.08 kills and 3.33 digs per set in the matches.
On the season, the Bulldogs are hitting .241 as a team, averaging 13.1 kills per set to their opponents’ marks of .143 and 11.2 k/s. Sharpe and Brak are both averaging more than four points per set, with two freshmen – Abby Heise (2.70 pt/s) and Ali Patterson (2.47 pt/s) – also putting up big numbers on both sides of the net. Senior Emily Briseno has raised her season hitting average to .240 and is recording 0.84 blocks/set.
Zimmerman’s setting average continues to climb, averaging 10.15 assists/set, while also leading the team with 34 aces.
Sophomore libero Abby Moser continues to make her marks on the back line, leading all ‘Dogs with 4.42 digs/set.
The Bulldogs are coached by Ben Briney, who, in his fourth season at the helm, has compiled an overall record of 88-39.
Courtesy Truman State University