The GLVC Central Division-leading UMSL Tritons will try to get back on the winning track with a match against West-leading Missouri S&T, Tuesday night at the Mark Twain Building in St. Louis. (Photo courtesy: UMSL Athletics)
UMSL Women’s Volleyball — Gameday Info
Match No. 15 — Missouri S&T (11-3, 5-1) at UMSL (10-4, 5-1)
Date/Time — Tuesday, October 5 — 7 pm
Location — Mark Twain Building — St. Louis, MO
Broadcast — GLVC Sports Network
Live Stats — Sidearm Stats
by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
The University of Missouri-St. Louis women’s volleyball team suffered its first Great Lakes Valley Conference loss of the season on Saturday, when it was defeated in five sets by conference rival Southern Indiana.
The Tritons had won seven matches in a row before that contest, but they’ll be looking to get back on the winning track Tuesday night, when another league rival, Missouri S&T, comes to visit the Mark Twain Building.
Even with Saturday’s loss to USI, UMSL still has a firm hold on first place in the GLVC Central Division. The Tritons are 5-1 in league play — a full two games ahead of second place Lindenwood — and they could put an even tighter hold on that lead with a win over Missouri S&T.
The visiting Miners are in a similar position in the GLVC West. They are also in first place with a 5-1 league record, and they’ll need a win over UMSL to keep its lead over second-place Rockhurst, which is playing at Lindenwood, Tuesday night.
S&T won in three sets the last time the two teams played last spring, but UMSL leads the all-time series with a record of 14-9.
Players to Watch: Tuesday’s matchup will feature three of the best hitters in the GLVC. UMSL’s Charlotte Richards, the reigning GLVC Player of the Year, is leading the league in kills again this season, with 258 kills in just 52 sets played.
That’s an average of 4.96 kills per set, which is the highest rate of any player in the country. The Tritons rely on Richards to lead their offense and she very often delivers.
S&T, on the other hand, likes to spread the ball around and has two top hitters it goes to. Payton Gannaway (201 kills) and Jordan Burton (185 kills) rank second and fourth, respectively, in the conference in successful attacks. Gannaway has also proven to be a solid weapon on serves. She is second in the GLVC with 35 service aces.
Defensively, UMSL is led by libero Megan Woll, who ranks second in the conference with 302 total digs. S&T’s top defensive weapon is its ability to block kill attempts. The Miners lead the GLVC in total blocks and have two players (Kiernan O’Boyle and Shelby Bly) who rank in the top seven in the conference in blocks this season.
Up Next: UMSL will be on the road for its next two matches after Tuesday’s showdown. The Tritons will play at Truman State on Friday, October 8, and at Maryville, on Saturday, October 9.
UMSL’s next home match will be in 3 1/2 weeks, when the Tritons will host Lindenwood on Friday, October 29.
S&T will be back home for its two matches this weekend. The Miners will host Illinois-Springfield on Friday and No. 13-ranked Lewis on Saturday.
| UMSL Tritons Women’s Volleyball Upcoming Schedule |
| Tue., October 5 — vs. Missouri S&T — 7 pm |
| Fri., October 8 — at Truman State — 7 pm |
| Sat., October 9 — at Maryville — 3 pm |
| Fri., October 15 — Midwest Crossover Tournament in Hammond, Ind. — TBA |
| Sat., October 16 — Midwest Crossover Tournament in Hammond, Ind. — TBA |
| Fri., October 22 — at Drury — 7 pm |
| Sat., October 23 — at Southwest Baptist — 3 pm |
| Fri., October 29 — vs. Lindenwood — 7 pm |
| All UMSL home volleyball matches will be played at the Mark Twain Building. |