OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mid-America Christian volleyball team will compete in its final non-conference matches of the regular season on Saturday as the Evangels head to Bartlesville, Okla. to play in a tri-match hosted by Oklahoma Wesleyan. MACU will face Sterling (Kan.) in the 3 p.m. match before taking on the host Eagles in the 5 p.m. time slot.
 
MACU SEASON REPORT

• Record: 10-7 (4-4 SAC)
• Last Match: Lost at (RV) John Brown (Ark.) – 3-1 (25-15, 17-25, 25-19, 25-11) – Sept. 22, 2022 – Siloam Springs, Ark.
• Stat Leaders:
  • Kills: Lena Stockhammer (178), Lauryn Walters (148), Miriam Nardi (132)
  • ATK% (ATK%, K-E-A): Vanessa Moreira (.321, 105-20-265), Miriam Nardi (.297, 132-38-316), Lauryn Walters (.179, 148-64-469)
  • Assists: Casady McKinney (338), Lena Stockhammer (313)
  • Aces: Faith Foutch (32), Casady McKinney (26), Marlee Hunter (20)
  • Digs: Marlee Hunter (334), Sydney Martin (168), Casady McKinney (150)
  • Blocks: Vanessa Moreira (35), Miriam Nardi (35), Lena Stockhammer (29)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian is coming off a tough loss at John Brown on Thursday night as the Evangels were held to their second-lowest attack percentage of the season with just 44 kills on a .111 hitting clip.
  • Despite the Evangels struggling on the offensive end, MACU held the Golden Eagles to their second-lowest hitting percentage in a win and their fourth-lowest of the season at .186.
  • The matchup against the Golden Eagles marked the third match in the last four contests that the Evangels faced an opponent either ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll.
  • MACU has been getting stellar play out of senior outside hitter Cloie Mitchell this week as the Norman, Okla. native has led the Evangels in the last two matches in kills with 15 against the Drovers on Tuesday and 10 against the Golden Eagles on Thursday. Mitchell is averaging 3.13 kills per set this week after being held to 1.75 kills per set through the first 15 matches of the year.

SCOUTING REPORT
Sterling (Kan.)

• Record: 7-8
• Last Match: Won vs. Bethany (Kan.) – 3-2 (17-25, 26-28, 29-27, 25-14, 15-10) – Sept. 21, 2022 – Sterling, Kan.
• Series vs. MACU (2005-): Sterling leads 4-2
• Last Match vs. MACU: MACU won 3-0 (25-18, 25-8, 25-19) – Sept. 15, 2021 – North Newton, Kan.
• Players to Watch:
  • Jordan Jellison – SR – OH
    • 176 Kills (3.09 K/S), .249 ATK%
  • Paige Rowland – SO – S
    • 240 Assists (4.21 A/S), 18 Aces (0.32 SA/S)
  • Nyah Isom – SO – DS
    • 206 Digs (3.61 D/S)
  • Gracie Bates – SR – MB
    • 49 Blocks (0.86 B/S), 56 Kills (0.98 K/S)
• Team Notes:
  • Sterling is coming off a sweep avoidance at home against Bethany on Wednesday. After dropping the first two sets, the two teams went to extra points for the second straight set in set three. Pulling out a hard-fought 29-27 win, the Warriors gained all the momentum down the stretch, winning the final two sets 25-14 and 15-10.
  • The Warriors are a team that has struggled in the attack, ranking 139^th in the NAIA in kills per set (10.72) and 127^th in hitting percentage (.159). The matchup should favor MACU, who ranks 22^nd in the NAIA in digs per set (17.94).
  • Despite SC's offensive woes, the Evangels will need to key on senior outside hitter Jordan Jellison and senior middle hitter Emily Peterson. Jellison leads the team with 176 kills on a .249 attack percentage while Peterson is putting down 128 kills at a .359 attack rate.
  • Mid-America Christian and Sterling will be facing each other for just the second time since the 2013 season. While the Warriors lead the all-time series, MACU dominated last season's meeting, cruising to a three-set sweep victory at a tri-match hosted by Bethel on Sept. 15, 2021.

Oklahoma Wesleyan

• Record: 21-1
• Last Match: Won at Avila (Mo.) – 3-0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-18) – Sept. 20, 2022 – Kansas City, Mo.
• Series vs. MACU (2003-): MACU leads 14-9
• Last Match vs. MACU: OKWU won 3-2 (25-23, 25-27, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13) – Aug. 31, 2022 – Gaulke Activity Center
• Players to Watch:
  • Lauren McKinney – SR – OPP
    • 271 Kills (3.47 K/S), .317 ATK%, 42 Blocks (0.54 B/S)
  • Sydney Collins – FR – S
    • 464 Assists (5.95 A/S), 187 Digs (2.40 D/S)
  • Andjela Micunovic – SR – L
    • 345 Digs (4.60 D/S), 80 Assists (1.07 A/S)
  • Maddy McKinney – JR – MB
    • 62 Blocks (0.84 B/S), 94 Kills (1.27 K/S), .279 ATK%
• Team Notes:
  • Oklahoma Wesleyan is off to one of its best starts in program history as the Eagles have won 21 of their first 22 matches. OKWU has been particularly dominant as of late, as the Eagles have only lost two sets in their last 11 matches.
  • The Eagles have only played three matches that have went to five sets, two of which have come against the Evangels while their lone other five-set match was a 3-2 loss to Missouri Valley on Aug. 26.
  • Much like MACU, the Oklahoma Wesleyan features a balanced attack with six players averaging more than a kill a set while OKWU as a whole ranks 22^nd in the NAIA in kills per set at 13.10.
  • While the Evangels dropped the last two against the Eagles, MACU has won the last two meetings in Bartlesville. After defeating OKWU in five sets on Sept. 14, 2020, the Evangels picked up a three-set sweep on Aug. 27, 2021.