The No. 5-ranked UMSL Tritons are 8-0 and will play at the McKendree Invitational this weekend. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Nora Nichols
Staff Writer
LEBANON, IL — The fifth-ranked University of Missouri-St. Louis women’s volleyball team concludes its season opening 12-game road swing with four matches in the McKendree Invitational this Friday and Saturday at McKendree University’s Melvin Price Convocation Center.
The Tritons take on Harding in their first match on Friday morning at 11:30 a.m. and then will face crosstown rival Maryville at 4:30 p.m. On Saturday, UMSL plays Illinois Springfield at 11:30 a.m. and concludes the weekend against McKendree at 4:30 p.m.
Last Time Out – The Tritons moved to 8-0 with four wins last weekend at the Flagler Saints Classic in St. Augustine, Fla. UMSL won its first three matches in straight sets then had to rally to defeat Missouri Southern 3-1 after dropping the opening set.
Lexie Rang averaged nearly 5.5 kills per set while hitting .323. She also added five aces and 31 digs for the weekend. Caitlin Bishop directed an offense that averaged over 16 kills per set while hitting. 327 as a team. She averaged 12.38 assists per set in the four contests. Kylie Adams led the way on the back line recording 60 digs for an average of 4.62 per set and recorded her 1,000th career dig in the win over Converse on Saturday morning.
GLVC Statistical Rankings – The Tritons are one of the top offensive teams in the conference through the first two weekends. They rank first in kills and assists with 14.67 and 13.74 per set respectively. They’re second in points scored (17.89 per set), hitting percentage at .274 and are second in service aces per set with 2.15.
Rang leads the league in kills and points with an average of 4.92 and 5.74 per set respectively and is third in aces. Bishop is averaging a league-best 11.30 assists per set and Trysta Foster has served 19 aces for an average of 0.79 per set which is also tops in the league.
Hailey Flowers and Mya Elliott are ranked seventh and ninth in the conference in hitting percentage. Flowers is hitting .355 while Elliott is hitting .354. Delaney Humm is 10th with 3.41 kills/set. Defensively, Adams is sixth in digs with 4.37 per set.
About Harding – The Lady Bison (6-3) snapped a three-match losing streak with a four-set win over Southern Arkansas on Tuesday evening in the Great American Conference opener for both teams.
Harding has four players averaging over two kills per set and are led by Skyler McKinnon and Jacey Lambert with 2.93 and 2.41 per set respectively. Olivia Wiedower and Sarah Morehead split time at the setter position. Wiedower is averaging 7.04 assists per set while Morehead is averaging 5.14 per set.
Defensively, the Lady Bison are averaging 2.10 blocks per set and are led by Libby Hinton with 0.72 per set. Emma Winiger leads the way on the backline averaging 4.90 digs per set.
About Maryville – The Saints enter Friday’s matches with a record of 5-2 after going 2-1 last weekend in South Florida. Maryville defeated Nova Southeastern in straight sets and Palm Beach Atlantic in four sets but lost the finale to Lynn in straight sets.
Ella Brinkman leads the Saint attack averaging 3.29 kills per set while Caroline Glastetter is contributing 2.17 per set. Abbie Schnell is averaging 5.5 assists per set and Rachel Schipper has served a team-high 11 aces. Hanna Dressing leads the team with 12 total blocks while Taylor Hasbrook leads the GLVC with 5.33 digs per set.
About Illinois Springfield – The Prairie Stars enter play this week with a record of 2-5 after going 1-3 last weekend at the Denton Volleyfest in Denton, Texas. They lost a five-set match to Augustana (S.D.) and were swept by Ouachita Baptist and Central Oklahoma. UIS defeated Arkansas-Monticello in its first match on Saturday.
Eirini Glynou leads the Prairie Star offense averaging 4.38 kills per set and is hitting .160 in her first seven matches. Erica Sledge is averaging 8.54 assists per set and leads the squad with seven aces. Ericka Snopko has a team best 14 blocks and Amanda McConnell leads the team with 4.29 digs per set.
About McKendree – The Bearcats (5-2) are riding a five-match winning streak heading into Friday’s 9 a.m. contest against Maryville. McKendree went 4-0 last weekend at the UIndy Invitational defeating Ashland in four sets, swept Thomas More, beat Florida Southern in five sets and knocked off Northwood in four sets.
The Bearcats have four players averaging over three kills per set and are led by Brianna Binder at 4.24 per set while Colleen Preusser is averaging 3.29 per set and Emma Mcllhargie is at 3.25 per set. Amber Williams leads the team and is second in the GLVC with 11.07 assists per set and has a team-high 11 aces. Defensively, Lauren McCurley leads the way with 25 total blocks while Preusser is averaging 3.75 digs per set.
Up Next – The Tritons host William Jewell in their home opener next Friday (Sept. 22) at 6 p.m. at the Mark Twain Building. It’ll be the start of a three-match homestand as UMSL will also host Rockhurst next Saturday at 3 p.m. and McKendree the following Saturday at 3 p.m.
2023 UMSL Tritons Women’s Volleyball Schedule
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 (Friday) | 11:30 a.m. | Neutral | #25 Harding | Lebanon, Ill. / Harry Statham Court |
| September 15, 2023 (Friday) | 4:30 p.m. | Neutral | Maryville | Lebanon, Ill. / Harry Statham Court |
| September 16, 2023 (Saturday) | 11:30 a.m. | Neutral | Illinois Springfield | Lebanon, Ill. / Harry Statham Court |
| September 16, 2023 (Saturday) | 4:30 p.m. | Away | McKendree | Lebanon, Ill. / Harry Statham Court |
| September 22, 2023 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Home | William Jewell | Mark Twain Building |
| September 23, 2023 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Rockhurst | Mark Twain Building |
| September 30, 2023 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | McKendree | Mark Twain Building |
| October 6, 2023 (Friday) | 5 p.m. (CDT) | Away | Indianapolis | Indianapolis, Ind. / Ruth Lilly Fitness Center |
| October 7, 2023 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Lewis | Romeoville, Ill. / Neil Carey Arena |
| October 13, 2023 (Friday) | TBA | Neutral | Midwest Region Crossover | Hammond, Ind. / Hammond Sportsplex |
| October 14, 2023 (Saturday) | TBA | Neutral | Midwest Region Crossover | Hammond, Ind. / Hammond Sportsplex |
| October 20, 2023 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Home | Missouri S&T | Mark Twain Building |
| October 21, 2023 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Maryville | Mark Twain Building |
| October 27, 2023 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Upper Iowa | Fayette, Iowa / Dorman Memorial Gymnasium |
| October 28, 2023 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Away | Truman State | Kirksville, Mo. / Pershing Arena |
| November 3, 2023 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Home | Illinois Springfield | Mark Twain Building |
| November 4, 2023 (Saturday) | 3 p.m. | Home | Quincy | Mark Twain Building |
| November 10, 2023 (Friday) | 6 p.m. | Away | Drury | Springfield, Mo. / O’Reilly Family Events Center |
| November 11, 2023 (Saturday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Southwest Baptist | Bolivar, Mo. / John Q. Hammons Court |
| November 17-19, 2023 | TBA | Neutral | GLVC Tournament | Williamsville, Ill./Williamsville High School Fieldhouse |