OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU volleyball team will look to keep the momentum going in its last non-conference classic appearance of the season as the Evangels will head to Branson, Missouri to compete in the College of the Ozarks Classic on Saturday. The Evangels will first compete against the University of Health Science & Pharmacy in St. Louis at 2 p.m. before wrapping up with a 4 p.m. match against the host Bobcats at 4 p.m. inside Keeter Gymnasium.
 
MACU SEASON REPORT

• Record: 5-4 (2-0 SAC)
• Last Match: Won vs. Southwestern Christian (Okla.) – 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-14) – Aug. 31, 2023 – Gaulke Activity Center
• Stat Leaders:
  • Kills: Lena Stockhammer (109), Sawyer Franz (103), Sarah Jones (59)
  • ATK%: Lena Stockhammer (.243), Sarah Jones (.229), Annabeth Fehrle (.229)
  • Assists: Casady McKinney (290), Ludmilla Souza (44)
  • Aces: Casady McKinney (17), Marlee Hunter (12), Sydney Martin (10)
  • Digs: Marlee Hunter (142), Sawyer Franz (89), Casady McKinney (66)
  • Blocks: Sarah Jones (19), Annabeth Fehrle (15), Lauryn Walters (12)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian put together a downright dominant defensive performance in its home-opener against Southwestern Christian on Thursday, holding the Eagles to a -.051 attack percentage to come away with a 25-12, 25-15, 25-14 victory. Not only was it the lowest hitting clip MAU had allowed to an opponent this season, but its also the lowest it had held the Eagles to since joining the NAIA in 2007.
  • Between their first two Sooner Athletic Conference matches, MACU has only allowed its opponent to score 20 or more points and a positive hitting percentage in just one set.
  • After entering the week with just an .896 receive percentage, the Evangels have shored up their back row defense, committing just two reception errors combined in the last six sets.
  • The Evangels have continued to get incredible production from its two outside hitters in Lena Stockhammer and Sawyer Franz. The tandem is each averaging more than three kills per set as Stockhammer has registered 109 kills (3.21 K/S) on a .243 attack percentage while Franz has put down 103 terminations (3.03 K/S) on a .208 hitting clip.

SCOUTNG REPORT
Health Sciences & Pharmacy (Mo.)

• Record: 0-7
• Last Match: Lost vs. Peru State (Neb.) – 3-0 (25-17, 28-26, 25-16) – Sept. 1, 2023 – Point Lookout, Mo.
• Series vs MACU: First Meeting
• Last Match vs MACU: N/A
• Series Streak: N/A
• Players to Watch:
  • Darlene Zediker – JR – MB/RS
    • 34 Kills (1.48 K/S), .103 ATK%, 7 Blocks (0.30 B/S)
  • Jenna Brinson – SO – S
    • 94 Assists (4.09 A/S), 33 Digs (1.43 D/S)
  • Kira Cid – JR – DS
    • 59 Digs (2.57 D/S), .875 RCV%
• Team Notes:
  • Early in the season, Health Science & Pharmacy has struggled offensively. Not only does UHSP rank fifth from last in the NAIA in attack percentage (.010), but it is also registering the fourth-lowest kills per set in the nation at 5.78.
  • The Eutechtics have struggled to stay competitive thus far this season, being swept in six of their seven matches.
  • On-top of the offensive struggles, UHSP has also struggle defensively, allowing the opposition to hit for a .252 attack percentage while also mustering just an .856 in receive percentage.
  • Saturday's match will mark the first ever meeting between the Evangels and Eutectics.

College of the Ozarks (Mo.)

• Record: 4-1
• Last Match: Won vs. Sterling (Kan.) – 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 26-24) – Sept. 1, 2023 – Point Lookout, Mo.
• Series vs MACU (2021-): MACU leads 3-0
• Last Match vs MACU: MACU won 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-21) – Dec. 1, 2022 – Point Lookout, Mo. (NCCAA Championships)
• Series Streak: MACU won 3
• Players to Watch:
  • Bri Linehan – SO – RS
    • 30 Kills (2.50 K/S), .265 ATK%, 5 Blocks (0.42 B/S)
  • Kamryn Link – FR – S
    • 82 Assists (6.83 A/S), 22 Digs (1.83 D/S)
  • Mica Chadwell – JR – L/DS
    • 64 Digs (5.33 D/S), 5 Aces (0.42 SA/S)
• Team Notes:
  • After opening the season with a tough five-set loss to Avila (Mo.) on Aug. 25, Ozarks started a four-match win streak with a five-set win over Stephens (Mo.). On the first day of the CofO Classic, the Bobcats won both their matches in straight sets against Haskell (Kan.) and Sterling (Kan.).
  • The young Bobcats team without a senior on its roster is led in the attack by sophomore right side Bri Linehan, who has registered 30 kills on a .265 attack percentage.
  • On the defensive side, one of the most experienced players on the roster in junior libero Mica Chadwell has done a strong job patrolling the back row, shoveling 5.33 digs per set while contributing 0.42 aces per set from the line.
  • A relatively recent rivalry, Mid-America Christian has fared well against the Bobcats since they first saw each other in a non-conference match on Sept. 3, 2021. The Evangels have won all three of their previous meetings, which included a three-set sweep in the 2021 NCCAA Central Region Championship as well as a hard-fought sweep at last year's NCCAA National Championships on Dec. 1.