OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU volleyball team will continue to test itself against some strong competition this weekend as the Evangels will compete in four matches at the Hastings College Classic in Hastings, Nebraska on Friday and Saturday.

MACU will open the tournament against its first NAIA Top 25 opponent of the season as the Evangels will challenge the host, No. 24 Hastings, at 2 p.m. on Friday before closing out the day against Kansas Wesleyan at 6 p.m.

On Saturday, the Evangels will be re-matched against Oklahoma Wesleyan at 10 a.m. before closing out the tourney against Dickinson State (N.D.) at 4 p.m.
 
MACU SEASON REPORT

• Record: 2-1
• Last Match: Won vs. Texas A&M-Texarkana – 3-1 (25-14, 15-25, 25-10, 25-17) – Aug. 19, 2023 – Siloam Springs, Ark.
• Stat Leaders:
  • Kills: Lena Stockhammer (41), Sawyer Franz (35), Annabeth Fehrle (25)
  • ATK% (Min. 10 ATK/G): Annabeth Fehrle (.270), Lena Stockhammer (.246), Sawyer Franz (.202)
  • Assists: Casady McKinney (80), Ludmilla Souza (43)
  • Aces: Casady McKinney (7), Ludmilla Souza (6), Sydney Martin (5)
  • Digs: Marlee Hunter (57), Sawyer Franz (43), Casady McKinney (31)
  • Blocks: Sarah Jones (6), Lauryn Walters (4), Annabeth Fehrle (3)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian came off a solid showing to start off the season at the JBU Golden Eagle Invitational in Siloam Springs, Ark. on Aug. 18-19. After putting together a strong showing against Oklahoma Wesleyan in a 3-1 defeat, the Evangels were able to grind out a hard-fought 3-2 win over Bethel (Kan.) before closing out the event with a 3-1 victory over Texas A&M-Texarkana.
  • Defensively, the Evangels put together a great weekend as a unit, holding their opposition to just a .142 attack percentage despite only recording nine blocks in 13 sets. As a result, Marlee Hunter earned the first NCCAA Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week after leading the backline with 57 digs (4.38 digs per set).
  • While MACU is bringing back an experienced squad from last season, the Evangels got a remarkable weekend from their freshman outside hitter Sawyer Franz. Notching the second-most kills on the weekend with 35 (2.69 per set) on a .202 attack percentage, Franz was just as vital on the defensive end, coming up with 43 digs (3.31 per set) while also turning in an impressive .986 receive percentage on 70 attempts.
  • Despite suffering a loss to rival OKWU in the tournament, the Evangels were the only team in the JBU Golden Eagle Invite to take a set from the powerhouse Eagles program and narrowly missed forcing a five-set match in their season-opener.

SCOUTING REPORT
No. 24 Hastings (Neb.)

• Record: 0-0 (20-15 in 2022)
• Last Match: Lost vs. Park (Mo.) – 3-1 (25-18, 20-25, 25-15, 25-20) – Dec. 1, 2022 – Sioux City, Iowa (NAIA National Championships – Pool Play)
• Series vs MACU: First Meeting
• Last Match vs MACU: N/A
• Series Streak: N/A
• Players to Watch:
  • Majesta Valasek – SR – OH
    • 310 Kills (2.72 K/S), .168 ATK%, 139 Digs (1.22 D/S)
  • Makenna Asher – SR – S
    • 1125 Assists (9.87 A/S), 42 Aces (0.37 SA/S), 277 Digs (2.43 D/S)
  • Miriam Miller – JR – DS/L
    • 666 Digs (6.08 D/S), .957 RCV%

Kansas Wesleyan

• Record: 2-0
• Last Match: Won vs. Baker (Kan.) – 3-2 (20-25, 25-21, 25-19, 22-25, 15-7) – Aug. 19, 2022 – Baldwin City, Kan.
• Series vs MACU (2018-): KWU leads 3-0
• Last Match vs MACU: KWU won 3-1 (25-17, 24-26, 25-21, 25-21) – Aug. 26, 2022 – Hastings, Neb.
• Series Streak: KWU Won 3
• Players to Watch:
  • Kylee Harris – SO – OH
    • 27 Kills (3.38 K/S), .242 ATK%, 4 Blocks (0.50 B/S)
  • Josie Deckinger – SR – S
    • 73 Assists (9.13 A/S), 9 Kills (1.13 K/S), .278 ATK%, 2 Aces (0.25 SA/S), 12 Digs (1.50 D/S), 4 Blocks (0.50 B/S)
  • Kelcey Hund – SR – DS/L
    • 39 Digs (4.88 D/S), .917 RCV%, 2 Aces (0.25 SA/S)
  • Kyla Moore – JR – MB
    • 7 Blocks (1.00 B/S), 18 Kills (2.57 K/S), .531 ATK%

Oklahoma Wesleyan

• Record: 3-0
• Last Match: Won at John Brown (Ark.) – 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-13) – Aug. 19, 2023 – Siloam Springs, Ark.
• Series vs MACU (2003-): MACU leads 14-11
• Last Match vs MACU: OKWU won 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 25-15, 25-23) – Aug. 18, 2023 – Siloam Springs, Ark.
• Series Streak: OKWU Won 4
• Players to Watch:
  • Evelyn Rohrberg – FR – OH
    • 57 Kills (5.70 K/S), .372 ATK%, 10 Aces (1.00 SA/S), 12 Digs (1.20 D/S)
  • Sydney Collins – SO – S
    • 120 Assists (12.00 A/S), 30 Digs (3.00 D/S)
  • Andjela Micunovic – GR – L/DS
    • 35 Digs (3.50 D/S), .953 RCV%, 10 Assists (1.00 A/S)

Dickinson State (N.D.)

• Record: 0-0 (4-23 in 2022)
• Last Match: Lost vs. Presentation (S.D.) – 3-1 (21-25, 27-25, 25-18, 25-20) – Nov. 5, 2022 – Dickinson, N.D.
• Series vs MACU: First Meeting
• Last Match vs MACU: N/A
• Series Streak: N/A
• Players to Watch:
  • McKenzie Moser – JR – OH
    • 213 Kills (2.20 K/S), .055 ATK%, 239 Digs (2.46 D/S)
  • Bailey Pearcy – SR – S
    • 812 Assists (8.55 A/S), 23 Aces (0.24 SA/S), 253 Digs (2.66 D/S)
  • Brooklyn Wyllie – JR – MB
    • 67 Blocks (0.78 B/S), 127 Kills (1.48 K/S), .096 ATK%