OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mid-America Christian volleyball team is preparing to face its toughest opponent of the season as the Evangels will head to No. 24 Oklahoma City to take on their cross town rival on Saturday. The match is slated for a 1 p.m. start at Abe Lemons Arena.
LAST TIME OUT
Mid-America Christian (5-3, 3-0 Sooner Athletic Conference) hosted Southwestern Christian for their home opener on Tuesday as the Evangels pulled out a 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-13, 25-20) win over the Eagles.
Junior outside hitter Hannah Focker led the Evangels attack with 19 kills on a .286 attack percentage while senior setter and right side hitter Alexa Bass recorded a triple double with 23 assists, 18 digs and 14 kills.
SCOUTING THE STARS
Oklahoma City is entering the weekend with an 8-1 record and are 2-0 in conference play while also coming into the week ranked 24th in the NAIA Top 25 poll.
The Stars opened conference play last week with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-17) victory at Southwestern Christian on Sept. 3 before pulling out with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-19) sweep at John Brown (Ark.) on Sept. 6
The OCU attack is led by junior outside hitter Lacy Beeler, who has 125 kills and is averaging 4.0 kills per set so far this season. Sophomore setter Stacy Salak commands the Stars attack at a very high level, as she currently leads the SAC at 10.3 assists per set with 319.
Defensively, sophomore libero Isabel Harwell is the top defensive player in the conference with 177 digs, averaging 5.7 digs per set while Marijana Bjelobrk has been the Stars best presence at the net with 25 blocks, averaging 0.81 blocks per set.
HISTORY WITH THE STARS
The Evangels will be looking to snap another long losing streak this season as Oklahoma City holds a 28-1 edge in the all-time series and have won 24 straight matches. The lone time MACU topped the Stars was on Oct. 9, 2007 as the Evangels swept OCU in straight sets.
FEEDING THE BASS
Senior setter and right side hitter Alexa Bass is coming off her best performance in an Evangels uniform. Against Southwestern Christian, the Argyle, Texas native recorded her fourth collegiate career triple-double with 23 assists, 18 digs and a tied a career-high 14 kills. It was Bass' second triple-double as a member of the Evangels with her last triple-double falling on Sept. 7, 2018 against John Brown. In that match, Bass tallied 24 assists, 12 digs and 10 kills in the five-set loss.
FOCKER FLYING HIGH
Not only is junior outside hitter Hannah Focker entering this weekend's match as they top attacker in the SAC, she's currently soaring high above the competition. Focker is currently averaging 4.7 kills per set, which is more than half a kill better than Southwestern Christian's Cashlyn Munroe at 4.1 kills per set.
