UMKC Set For Three Matches In Four Days
9/29/2011 1:38:00 PM | Volleyball
The Opponents
Western Illinois enters the match with an 8-7 record overall and a 1-4 mark in Summit League play after defeating Oakland. The Leathernecks are led offensively by Cait Egan (146 kills), Ann Miller (143 kills) and Katie Hosteng (132 kills), while Sarah Fetter has a team-high 439 assists. Defensively, Egan leads the squad with 35 blocks, while Bridget Murphy's 294 digs are tops on the team.
IUPUI enters the weekend with a 6-10 record overall and a 1-4 mark in league play with a win over Southern Utah. Moriah Fair leads the Jaguars with 168 kills, while Kalyse Reimbold (144), Bethany Fogler (120) and Kelsey Hoefer (112) have each topped the 100 kill mark. Alexis Meeks, meanwhile, leads the team with 543 assists, while Fogler's 65 blocks and Shari Bernhardt's 297 digs are each team-highs.
North Dakota State currently holds an 11-6 record overall and a 4-1 mark in league play after beating Oakland and falling to IPFW last week. Four Bison have reached the 100 kill mark on the season, including Brynn Joki (183), Lauren Cammack (165), two-time Summit League Player of the Year Chrissy Knuth (131) and Megan Lambertson (114). Jennifer Lopez, meanwhile, leads the squad in assists with 639, while Andrea Henning's 232 digs are a team-high.
Series Record
Western Illinois holds a 20-12 all-time series lead against UMKC, despite a three-match winning streak by the 'Roos, including a 3-1 win and a 3-2 win last season. IUPUI and North Dakota State, meanwhile, hold a 18-9 and 11-0 series lead, respectively, with each sweeping the 'Roos in 2010.
Last Week
On Sept. 19, the 'Roos fell 3-0 at home to South Dakota State, before rebounding with a 3-2 win over future Summit League foe Nebraska-Omaha. Against the Mavericks, senior Elizabeth Beck notched a career-high 19 kills, while fellow senior Kelsey Knoche had a career-high 24 kills and junior Brittney Robers a career-high 31 assists. On Saturday, the 'Roos closed out the week with a 3-2 loss to South Dakota.
Nearing Records
Seniors Nicole Kerkman and Christiana McQuin are both approaching a top spot in the UMKC record books. McQuin currently has 322 block assists, the second most in school history and just three behind leader Lindsey Zerr. Kerkman, meanwhile, has 1,290 career digs, the second most in UMKC history, 46 behind leader Mandy Tipton.
Five 'Roos Honored As All-Tournament Performers
Five different 'Roos were honored this preseason as all-tournament performers, led by senior Nicole Kerkman who was named to the Black Knights Invitational and Kangaroo Klassic all-Tournament Teams. Teammates Emily Lucas and Christiana McQuin garnered honors at the Black Knights Invitational and Kangaroo Klassic, respectively, while Kelsey Knoche and Chloe Jarema earned all-tournament honors at the Radford Tournament.
First Tournament Sweep Since 2002
With its three game sweep and tournament title at the Radford Tournament on Sept. 2-3, the UMKC volleyball team captured its first 3-0 tournament performance since the Southern Illinois Tournament in 2002. That year, the 'Roos defeated Murray State, 3-1, Central Michigan, 3-1 and host Southern Illinois 3-2.
Players of the Week
The UMKC roster currently features six players who have claimed Summit League Player of the Week honors. Plano, Texas, native Brittany Fossier was the first to be honored, winning Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 15, 2008, during her freshman season. During their sophomore campaigns, Kelsey Knoche (10/26/09) and Elizabeth Beck (11/16/09) were each named Offensive Player of the Week, while Christiana McQuin (11/9/09) garnered Defensive Player of the Week honors. Last season, meanwhile, Nicole Kerkman (9/13/10) and Demetria Williams (9/27/10) each earned the Defensive Player of the Week award.
Last Season
In 2010, the 'Roos finished the campaign with a 9-21 record overall and a 6-12 mark in Summit League play, finishing eighth in the league. Offensively, the 'Roos were led by a trio of then juniors, including Elizabeth Beck (294 k), Kelsey Knoche (293 k) and Christiana McQuin (240 k), while then sophomore Ella Meier finished with a team-high 590 assists. Defensively, six Kangaroos recorded over 150 digs, led by Nicole Kerkman's 396 and Knoche's 360. At the net, McQuin (112 b) and Demetria Williams (81 b) were the squad's top two blockers.
Head Coach Christi Posey
Christi Posey was named the new head coach of the Kangaroo volleyball program on Feb. 14, 2011, after spending the past eleven seasons as the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at the University of Kansas. Prior to heading to Lawrence, Posey served as the head volleyball coach at Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kan., from 1993 to 2000. During that time, Posey led the Huskies to KSHSAA state tournaments in each of her eight season, winning the state championships in 1996 and 1997, while finishing third three times. While coaching the Huskies, she was named the 1997 Coach of the Year by the Kansas Volleyball Association and Kansas Sport Magazine after leading her team to a perfect 44-0 record, including a second-straight KSHSAA state championship and the 1996 Coach of the Year by Kansas Sport Magazine and Sports Connection after guiding her team to a 41-3 record and the state championship.
'Roos in The Classroom
Last season, eight 'Roos were named to The Summit League Academic all-Conference team, including current 'Roos Elizabeth Beck, Nicole Kerkman, Kelsey Knoche, Christiana McQuin, Ella Meier, Brittney Robers and Erin Wellwood. In order to be named to academic all-League team, each student-athlete must post a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the semester in which they compete. Additionally, five 'Roos were named distinguished scholars for posting a GPA above 3.6, including Beck.
Meanwhile, seven current player and eight total were named to the Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence, including Beck, Kerkman, Knoche, McQuin, Meier, Kara Thomas and Wellwood, for posting a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
