The William Woods University volleyball team looks to extend its current winning streak to five as they travel to the College of the Ozarks for a non-conference match on Tuesday night. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Matchup
The Owls come into Tuesday night's contest with an 18-14 record overall. The Bobcats post a 13-12 record on the year.
The teams have a pair of common opponents on their schedules. Both teams claimed 3-1 home wins over Central Methodist University. Ozarks beat the Eagles 25-15, 25-14, 22-25, 25-16 on Sept. 1 and the Owls claimed a 25-17, 25-23, 19-25, 25-20 victory on Sept. 28. Both schools suffered a loss to Evangel University. William Woods lost its season opener 3-0 (19-25, 18-25, 17-25) at Evangel on Aug. 28 with Ozarks losing 3-1 (25-19, 28-30, 20-25, 19-25) at home on Sept. 27.
Last Time Out
William Woods swept an American Midwest Conference doubleheader on Saturday against Williams Baptist College. The Owls took the first game 3-2 (25-17, 23-25, 23-25, 25-9, 15-9) and won the afternoon tilt 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 26-24).
Congratulations
Senior
Emily Nolte became the school's all-time leader in sets played on Saturday, and continues to distance herself from the field having played in 503 sets during her career. She passed the 498 sets played mark set by
Lauren Fleming last season during the fourth set of Saturday's first match.
Let The Good Times Roll
Since starting the season 4-12 WWU has won 14 of its last 16 matches and are a season-high four wins above .500 at 18-14. During the stretch, the Owls won nine consecutive matches from Sept. 22 through Sept. 29. The 18 wins surpass last year's total of 16. With 11 league wins, WWU has guaranteed itself its first winning season in the AMC since 2009.
Top Ten Single-Season List
A trio of Owls are having a notable 2012 season. Seniors
Amanda Henley and
Sarah Wehmeyer along with freshman
Emily Becker have each moved into a top 10 single-season category.
Henley currently ranks eighth on the single-season digs list with 579. This is the third straight season that she has appeared in the top 10. In 2010, she collected 708 digs to put her in second place on the list and last season she finished third with 687 digs.
Wehmeyer's 1,043 assists puts her seventh on the single-season list. She is 183 assists away from the sixth-place mark of 1226 set by Heather Roberts in 2002.
With 362 kills Becker is in a tie for eighth place on the single-season kills list with Raylene Lionberger. She two kills away from the seventh place mark of 364 kills set by
Lauren Fleming in 2010 and seven kills shy of the sixth-place mark of 369 set by Kendra Frerking in 1988.
National Rankings
As a team, William Woods ranks in the top 20 of the NAIA in five different categories. The Owls rank third in total digs (2,007), 11th in total kills (1305), 12th in total assists (1,180), 16th in digs/set (17.92), and 17th in service aces (181).
The Owls have three players ranked in the top 45 of the NAIA across six different categories. Senior libero
Amanda Henley ranks fifth in total digs with 579, 14th in digs/set with 5.41 and 25th in service aces with 41. Senior setter
Sarah Wehmeyer ranks seventh in total assists with 1,043. Freshman
Emily Becker rounds out the trio ranking 17th in total kills (362) and 26th in total blocks (98).
AMC Leaders
The Owls are the top team in the AMC in total digs (2,007) and digs/set (17.90). Senior libero
Amanda Henley leads the AMC in total digs (579) and digs/set (5.41).
A Look At College Of The Ozarks
The Bobcats are 13-12 overall on the year and a perfect 7-0 in the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference. College of the Ozarks comes into Tuesday's contest winning eight of its last nine matches, with the lone loss coming against Evangel University.
Ozarks are 42nd in the NAIA in hitting percentage with a .233 mark. Mariah Chapman leads the way with a .280 hitting percentage and leads the MCAC with 272 kills. Defensively, Hayley Blair ranks second in the MCAC and ranks 11th in the NAIA in digs/set with a pace of 5.64.
