UMKC Puts 12-Match Win Streak On The Line In WAC Showdowns With NMSU, UTPA
10/15/2014 3:50:00 PM | Volleyball
(Kansas City, Mo.) – The Missouri-Kansas City volleyball team (16-3, 4-0) will return to WAC action with a pair of matches this week starting with a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup against New Mexico State (10-6, 4-1) in Las Cruces, N.M., on Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN3. On Oct. 18, meanwhile, the 'Roos will take on Texas-Pan American (4-15, 1-4) in Edinburg, Texas at 1 p.m.
The Opponents
New Mexico State enters the match second in the WAC with a 4-1 record, a half game behind the 'Roos, while amassing a 10-6 mark overall with wins over UTPA, UVU, Bakersfield and GCU. On the offensive side, Bradley Nash (135) and Gwen Murphy (132) have each topped 100 kills, with Taylor Livoti topping the team in assists (354). On the defensive side, Sasha-Lee Thomas (63) and Murphy (62) are the team's top blockers, while Hannah Walker leads in digs with 235.
Texas-Pan American enters the weekend with a 4-15 record overall and a 1-4 mark in conference play after beating Grand Canyon. Haley Durham leads the offense for the Broncs with 187 kills, while Mary Kate Clark leads the team in assists with 525. Defensively, Nausheen Merchant is tops in digs at 226, with Durham leading in blocks (70).
The Series (UMKC DI Era)
New Mexico State (0-2)
10/12/13 (H) L, 0-3
11/7/13 (A) L, 1-3
Texas-Pan American (2-0)
10/10/13 (H) W, 3-0
11/9/13 (A) W, 3-1
Last Time Out
For just the fourth time in school history and the first time since 1994, the Missouri-Kansas City volleyball team (16-3) knocked-off in state rival Missouri (12-8) 3-1 on Monday night in front of a Swinney Recreation Center record crowd of 1,217.
As a team, UMKC hit .325, as every 'Roo with an attack hit at least .178, including in the middle where Melissa Hartsel finished with a .444 hitting percentage on nine kills with a team-high six blocks against her former team and Emma Hagedorn notched nine kills and three blocks, hitting .238.
On the outside Jessica Hendin paced the 'Roos with 14 kills to go with 10 digs for her seventh double-double of the season and Taylor Buhrow tallied season-high's with 10 kills and a .429 hitting percentage, while on the opposite side, Sydney Crimmins finished with 12 kills, a .375 hitting percentage and 14 digs for her eighth double-double this year and Skyler Muff added seven kills, a .294 hitting percentage, two aces and three blocks.
From the setter position Brandt handed out a team-high 28 assists to go along with six digs and two kills in four attempts, with her setting partner, Wemhoff, notched 22 assists, nine digs, three kills in three attempts and two aces.
In the back row, meanwhile, Taryn Miller again led the 'Roo defense, as the nation's third leading digger recorded a match-high 24 digs. As a team, UMKC out-blocked the Tigers 9 to 7, out-hit them .325 to .200 and out-killed them 67 to 55, while notching four aces and limiting Mizzou to just one ace.
Crimmins Named WAC POW
Sydney Crimmins was named the WAC Player of the Week on 10/13, as the Clay Center, Kan., native averaged 3.75 kills on .338 hitting, 2.12 digs, 0.75 blocks and 0.50 assists per set as the Kangaroos went 2-0 last week to extend their win streak to a school-record 11 matches. Crimmins opened the week with a season-high-tying 17 kills on 40 attempts with just one error for a .400 hitting percentage, her second highest of the season, to go along with seven digs and three blocks in a four-set win over Utah Valley. She followed it up with 13 kills, 10 digs and four assists in a four-set win over Seattle U on Saturday. It was her eighth double-double of the season. Crimmins now ranks fourth in the WAC in conference matches in points (3.85) and fifth in kills (3.22).
Just Keep Winning
The 16-3 start by the 'Roos is the best start in school history, while the 12 straight wins eclipses the nine straight from the 1992 squad for the school record. The 4-0 conference start, meanwhile, is also the best mark in school history.
WAC Leaders
In overall games, the 'Roos sit atop the WAC in hitting percentage (.221), assists (12.91), kills (13.88) and digs (18.24), while Taryn Miller is tops in digs at 5.82.
In WAC matches, UMKC is first in assists (13.59), kills (14.47) and digs (18.53). Individually, Hagedorn (.444) is tops in hitting percentage.
Tournament MVP's
After the four preseason tournaments, the 'Roos have garnered a pair of MVP honors with Taryn Miller winning the accolade at the CEFCU Classic and Skyler Muff garnering the honors at the FGCU Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites Classic. Six other 'Roos have also received all-tournament honors, including Emma Hagedorn and Jessica Hendin at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Omaha Classic All-Tournament Team, Hendin and Melissa Hartsel at the Jackrabbit Invitational, Kaylyn Brandt and Sydney Crimmins in the CEFCU Classic and Emma Hagedorn at the FGCU Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites Classic. In all, seven different 'Roos have been recognized nine times.
RPI Rankings
The 'Roos currently sit 79th in the nation according to RPI, making them the highest ranked team in the WAC.
NCAA Leaders
Currently, the 'Roos have put themselves near the top several NCAA rankings, as the squad ranks in the top of the country in digs per set (2nd - 18.30), digs (11th - 1,354) and attacks per set (4th - 39.117).
Individually, Taryn Miller ranks fifth in digs (430) and third digs per set (5.81), while Jessica Hendin is 57th in aces (26) and Emma Hagedorn (87) and Melissa Hartsel (80) are 32nd and 59th in blocks, respectively.
In her career, meanwhile, Miller is seventh among active players in the NCAA at 5.07 digs per set and 31st in total digs at 1,492.
Taking Down Familiar Foes
The 'Roos have squared-off with three former Summit League foes this season, coming out victorious in all three. On Aug. 30, UMKC beat Omaha 3-2, before taking down South Dakota State 3-0 on Sep. 5. On Sep. 12, meanwhile, the Kangaroos beat North Dakota State for the first time ever, 3-2.
Tourney Champs
The 'Roos went a perfect 3-0 at the CEFCU Classic, beating North Dakota State, host Bradley and Miami (OH) to claim the tournament title, their first since the 2011 Radford Tournament. On Sep. 20, meanwhile, the 'Roos won their second tournament of the year at the FGCU Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites Classic, marking the first time ever that they have won two tournaments in the same season.
Killin' It
The 'Roos have notched the top-four kill totals in the WAC this season, with 72 at Grand Canyon and 67 against Drake, Stephen F. Austin and Missouri. In the back row, meanwhile, UMKC has notched the top-two dig totals, while also recording the top-three assist totals, the top ace total and the first, third, and fourth (2x) most blocks.
Individually, Taryn Miller has amassed four of the top five dig totals, including the top two at 38 and 35, while Emma Hagedorn's 10 blocks vs. NDSU is tied for the most.
In The Books
Last season, Emma Hagedorn and Taryn Miller each continued to etch their names in the UMKC record books. Hagedorn set the record for block assists in a season (128) and blocks in a match (14), while Miller recorded the fifth most digs (537). In their careers, Miller ranks second all-time at 1,531 digs and second in digs per set at 5.07 and Hagedorn ranks fourth in block assists at 279 and third in hitting percentage at .266, while Nicole Wemhoff is sixth in assists at 1,641.
This season, Miller has amassed the eighth most digs and the third best digs per set mark (5.82), while Hagedorn (.327) and Melissa Hartsel (.321) would have the top-two hitting percentage marks in school history.
Miller Garners Second Straight POW
Taryn Miller was named the WAC Player of the Week after averaging 7.41 digs, 0.82 assists and 0.35 service aces per set over four matches last week. Miller opened the week with 22 digs and two assists in a four-set loss to No. 24 Kansas. Over the weekend, she was named MVP of the CEFCU Classic after averaging an astounding 8.00 digs, 0.92 assists and 0.46 service aces per set and leading the 'Roos to the tournament title with a perfect 3-0 record. Miller finished with 30 digs in three straight matches for the first time in her career, posting 35 against North Dakota State, 31 at Bradley and a career-high 38 vs. Miami (Ohio). The 38 digs was a Renaissance Coliseum record. Miller now sits in third place on the UMKC career digs list with 1,326, 10 digs shy of second place.
Hendin Named WAC Player Of The Week
Jessica Hendin was named the WAC Player of the Week after averaging 3.82 kills, 3.82 digs and 0.55 service aces per set over three matches last week en route to all-tournament team honors at the Jackrabbit Invitational, her second all-tournament selection in as many weeks. Hendin opened the week with a double-double of 15 kills and 17 digs in a four-set loss to Valparaiso. She then tied her career-high with three aces against South Dakota State and was just shy of a double-double, finishing with nine kills and 11 digs. Hendin closed out the week with a season-high 18 kills to go along with 14 digs in a win against Stephen F. Austin for her third double-double of the season.
All-Conference Returners
Last season, Sydney Crimmins and Taryn Miller were each named to the Second Team All-WAC, while freshman Kaylyn Brandt was named to the WAC All-Freshman Team in a vote by the conference's head coaches.
WAC Preseason Poll
The WAC volleyball coaches have selected Missouri-Kansas City to finish fourth in the preseason poll, as the Kangaroos garnered 27 points, while New Mexico State was chosen to win the WAC regular-season crown in 2014. New Mexico State received six of the first-place votes with Seattle U earning the other two. The Aggies earned 48 total points, followed by Seattle U with 43. Utah Valley was picked to finish third with 35 points, while just behind UMKC was Bakersfield in fifth with 26 and Grand Canyon in sixth with 22 points. Texas-Pan American and Chicago State rounded out the poll with 16 and seven points, respectively.
Preseason All-WAC Selections
The WAC coaches voted on the preseason award winners and Utah Valley junior middle blocker Lauren Bakker was the pick for WAC Preseason Player of the Year, with the 'Roos Sydney Crimmins and Emma Hagedorn named to the Preseason All-WAC Team.
Crimmins Reps WAC At SAAC
UMKC volleyball's Sydney Crimmins has been elected to represent the WAC as the conference's national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative where she will serve as a liaison between the NCAA and the WAC and its SAAC reps. She will serve as a SAAC rep on an NCAA committee and will actively engage the WAC membership about issues concerning student-athletes on a national level.
Last Season
In their first season in the WAC, the 'Roos finished with a winning record for just the third time ever and recorded back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in school history after going 15-14 overall and 9-7 in the WAC. Sydney Crimmins was named to all-tournament teams in each of the 'Roos preseason tournaments and capped it off by being named Second Team All-WAC, alongside teammate Taryn Miller.
New Kids On The Block
The 'Roos will welcome in a pair of true freshman this year in middle hitter Emma Dyer and defensive specialist Adasia Bromberger. Redshirt freshman Meagan Kerns, meanwhile, will make her debut in the Blue & Gold after sitting out last season with a knee injury.
Upperclassmen Return
This season, the Kangaroo lineup will have a heavy dose of upperclassmen with a total of nine on the roster, including seven juniors and two seniors. In all, a total of seven upperclassmen and nine total returners started 12 or more matches in 2013.
Academic 'Roos
Last season, Kaylyn Brandt, Sydney Crimmins, Taryn Miller, Skyler Muff, Morgan Voorhes and Nicole Wemhoff each garnered a spot on the Academic All-WAC Team for amassing a 3.2 or higher cumulative GPA.
