Full Notes (PDF)

 

(KIRKSVILLE) – For the final time until the NCAA postseason, the No. 12 Truman volleyball squad will step away from the MIAA slate this weekend for the Washburn Lady Blues Crossover event, held Friday and Saturday in Topeka, Kansas. The Bulldogs will face three Lone Star Conference teams and one Heartland Conference program in the two-day affair.

 

Truman continued its climb up the AVCA Top-25 Coaches' Poll this week, moving up one spot to No. 12. Four MIAA program sit in the top-12 in the nation, as the Bulldogs are joined by Washburn (No. 7), Central Missouri (No. 9) and Emporia State (No. 11).

 

The Bulldogs will take on Angelo (Texas) State at 11:30 am and Tarleton (Texas) State at 4:30 pm on Friday before wrapping up the event against St. Edward's (Texas) University at 11:00 am and Abilene Christian (Texas) University at 3:00 pm on Saturday.

 

Truman moved its winning streak to five after taking three matches last week against Southwest Baptist (3-0), Missouri Southern (3-1) and Pittsburg State (3-2).

 

After sweeping SBU on Wednesday (Sept. 20) night, the Bulldogs hit the road to earn the four-set win at MSSU before coming from two sets down to hand PSU the 3-2 setback.

 

 

Free live stats for all home matches in 2010 will be available through Truman's sports Information office, while live video will be hosted by B2 Networks.  

 

Attendance at Truman home volleyball matches is free for all spectators.

Ben Briney in is his second season as the head coach of the Truman volleyball program and is now in his sixth season overall at the University after serving as the program's top assistant from 2005-2008. He is the ninth head coach in program history and has a 36-15 career record.

 

In his first season as head coach, the Bulldogs maintained a top-25 ranking throughout the season, extending the consecutive-week streak to 140 for the program. The squad won 24 games and reached the NCAA tournament for the tenth time in program history. He had five players named all-MIAA, headlined by freshman Megan Sharpe, who garnered National Freshman of the Year accolades as well as first-team all-region status.

During his tenure as an assistant, the Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Division II tournament in all four seasons, won two South Central regional championships and advanced to the national semifinals one time (2008). He helped coach six different players to 11 combined AVCA all-American awards, saw two players win the MIAA's MVP award and led the team to its first No. 1 ranking in the AVCA top-25 coaches poll in school history.

 

He is assisted by Megan Wargo, who is also in her second season at Truman after spending four years as the assistant coach at Lees-McRae (N.C.).

 

- The Bulldogs were selected to the AVCA coaches' top-25 poll for the 145^th straight week, dating back to 2000, when they came in at No. 12 in this week's poll. The next poll comes out on Monday, Oct. 4.

 

- Senior Ashley Petak became just the third player in program history to crack 3,000 career assists last week, joining Kirsten Bernthal (6,077) and Monica Marlowe (5,475) as players to accomplish the feat.

 

- Milestone alert for both senior Allison Barker and junior Kylie Easlon this week, as Barker needs just 44 kills to reach 500 for her career, while Easlon will need 47 assists to reach 1,000.

 

- The Bulldogs have had success this season when heading to “overtime” in a set, as Truman is 4-1 in sets that go beyond 25 points (ex: 26-24).

 

- Team Offense: 13.27 kills/set; .230 atk pct; 1.71 aces/set

- Team Defense: 16.33 digs/set; 2.31 blocks/set

 

- Top Offense: Megan Sharpe (2.82 kills/set, .353 atk pct)

- Top Setter: Ashley Petak (315 assists, 6.06/set)

- Top Defense: Casey Bruno (198 digs, 4.12/set); Sharpe (53 blocks, 1.06/set)

 

- Team Offense: 12.77 kills/set; .224 atk pct; 1.00 aces/set

- Team Defense: 15.70 digs/set; 1.49 blocks/set

 

- Top Offense: Chelsea Gibson (3.05 kills/set, .284 atk pct)

- Top Setter: Alex Woolsey (452 assists, 10.51/set)

- Top Defense: Kaelen Valdez (120 digs, 2.86/set); Gibson (27 blocks, 0.68/set)

 

- Head Coach: Chuck Waddington (3^rd season at ASU; 45-34 record)

- Series Info: Truman leads, 3-2. Last: TSU won, 3-2, on Oct. 2, 2009, in Topeka, Kan.

 

- Team Offense: 13.25 kills/set; .207 atk pct; 1.56 aces/set

- Team Defense: 15.45 digs/set; 1.53 blocks/set

 

- Top Offense: Rachel Wolf (3.30 kills/set, .228 atk pct)

- Top Setter: Jessie Hartmen (362 assists, 6.58/set)

- Top Defense: Shea McBrearty (217 digs, 3.95/set); Katie Cutbirth (47 blocks, 0.85/set)

 

- Head Coach: Mary Schindler (5^th season at TSU; 78-60 record)

- Series Info: Truman leads, 2-1. Last: TRU won, 3-2, on Oct. 2, 2009, in Topeka, Kan.

 

- Team Offense: 12.59 kills/set; .208 atk pct; 1.94 aces/set

- Team Defense: 15.53 digs/set; 1.45 blocks/set

 

- Top Offense: Courtney Trevino (2.74 kills/set, .245 atk pct)

- Top Setter: Chelsea Barsamian (376 assists, 8.00/set)

- Top Defense: Michelle Hundt (219 digs, 4.47/set); Ale'tra Ware (30 blocks, 0.70/set)

 

- Head Coach: Sean Donahue (9^th season at SEU; record N/A)

- Series Info: Truman leads, 3-0. Last: TSU won, 3-1, on Sept. 11, 2009, in Florence, Ala.

 

- Team Offense: 12.65 kills/set; .227 atk pct; 1.40 aces/set

- Team Defense: 16.70 digs/set; 2.66 blocks/set

 

- Top Offense: Shawna Hines (2.88 kills/set, .350 atk pct)

- Top Setter: Ijeoma Moronu (387 assists, 9.68/set)

- Top Defense: Kelsie Edwards (148 digs, 3.70/set); Hines (60 blocks, 1.50/set)

 

- Head Coach: Kellen Mock (5^th season at ACU; 69-39 record)

- Series Info: Truman leads, 2-1. Last: TSU won, 3-1, on Aug. 28, 2009, in Omaha, Neb.

 

A key top-15 battle awaits on the horizon next week for the Bulldogs, as Truman hits the road for a Wednesday evening showdown with No. 9 Central Missouri in Warrensburg. Then, the Bulldogs take on Nebraska-Omaha in Pershing Arena on Saturday, Oct. 9 to round out the two-match week.