OKLAHOMA CITY – The MACU Volleyball team will look stay hot to wrap-up the first half of Sooner Athletic Conference play this weekend inside the Gaulke Activity Center as the Evangels host Wayland Baptist for a 7 p.m. first serve on Friday night before closing out against Oklahoma Panhandle State at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
 
SEASON REPORT

• Record: 10-6 (6-3 SAC)
• Last Game: Won at Southwestern Christian – 3-0 (25-21, 25-11, 25-19) – Sept. 28, 2024 – Bethany, Okla.
• Stat Leaders:
  • Kills: Miriam Nardi (171, 3.11 K/S), Alica Obusekova (125, 2.27 K/S)
  • Attack Percentage (%, K-E-A): Sara Jones-Stafford (.318, 75-13-195), Natalia Rodriguez (.298, 45-11-114)
  • Assists: Casady McKinney (359, 6.53 A/S), Madison Lee (172, 3.74 A/S)
  • Aces: Ryley Bowden (25, 0.45 SA/S), Casady McKinney (22, 0.40 SA/S)
  • Digs: Ryley Bowden (244, 4.44 D/S), Alica Obusekova (187, 3.40 D/S)
  • Receive Percentage (RE-R): Alica Obusekova (.943, 17-296), Ryley Bowden (.923, 24-311)
  • Blocks: Sarah Jones-Stafford (36, 0.67 B/S), Miriam Nardi (22, 0.40 B/S)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian is coming off a phenomenal weekend where it picked up a pair of crosstown road sweeps as the Evangels went into Abe Lemons Arena and swept the Oklahoma City Stars (25-20, 25-23, 25-22) on Friday night before getting the 25-21, 25-11, 25-19 victory at Southwestern Christian on Saturday.
  • The biggest reason for MACU's success was the play of its stout defense as the Evangels held Oklahoma City to its lowest attack percentage in SAC play this season at .124 while limiting the Eagles to an .033 hitting clip.
  • In the win on Saturday, junior setter Casady McKinney made history by becoming just the third Evangels setter since the program moved up to the NAIA level in 2007 to reach 2000 career assists. The Yukon, Oklahoma native is on the cusp of climbing up a spot in MACU's record book as she currently sits just 53 assists away from surpassing Hannah Luedtke (2015-17) for second in MACU's NAIA Era record book.
  • This weekend's matches will play a pivotal role in the SAC standings as the Evangels (6-3) currently sit in a three-way tie for fourth with Wayland Baptist and John Brown while also sitting a game back of Oklahoma City, who faces the top two teams in the league in Nelson and Texas Wesleyan on Friday and Saturday.

SCOUTING REPORT
Wayland Baptist (Texas)

• Record: 6-6 (6-3 SAC)
• Last Match: Lost vs. College of the Ozarks (Mo.) – 3-2 (25-22, 25-15, 22-25, 21-25, 15-8) – Sept. 28, 2024 – Plainview, Texas
• Series vs MACU (2004-): WBU leads 29-12
• Last Match vs MACU: MACU won 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22) – Dec. 1, 2023 – Point Lookout, Mo. (NCCAA National Championships – Semifinal)
• Series Streak: MACU won 10
• Players to Watch:
  • Fade Ogunbade – JR – MH
    • 127 Kills (2.82 K/S), .228 ATK%, 11 Aces (0.28 SA/S), 24 Blocks (0.53 B/S)
  • Valentina Bozzato – SO – S
    • 216 Assists (7.20 A/S), 62 Digs (2.07 D/S), 10 Blocks (0.33 B/S)
  • Emily Buchberger – SR – L/DS
    • 168 Digs (5.09 D/S), .951 RCV%, 12 Aces (0.36 SA/S)
  • Klaudia Brzeczkowska – SO – MB
    • 31 Blocks (0.72 B/S), 58 Kills (1.35 K/S), .163 ATK%
• Team Notes:
  • Facing a pair of stiff home challenges last weekend, Wayland Baptist got the best of both worlds when the Pioneers came up with a massive three-set sweep over John Brown on Friday. However, WBU found itself in a two-set hole against College of the Ozarks and even though the Pioneers were able to rally to force a fifth set, Wayland was unable to slow down the Bobcats in set five to suffer the 3-2 defeat.
  • Despite getting off to an 0-3 start to the season, the Pioneers have played well since entering SAC play as they much like the Evangels have put together a 6-3 record in league play thus far. A big reason for WBU's success has been its defense limiting conference foes to a .147 attack percentage while, which has helped overcome some offensive struggles as the squad is averaging only 11.18 kills per set on a .158 hitting clip.
  • The Pioneers under head coach Jim Giacomazzi bring in a highly experienced group that is led in the attack by junior middle hitter Fade Ogunbade and sophomore setter Valentina Bozzato. Ogunbade is one of the top hitters in the conference, posting the fourth-highest kills per set rate at 2.82 with a .228 attack percentage while senior outside Selma Sutaj also provides a lot in the attack at a 2.60 kills per set on a .141 rate.
  • Bozzato enters Friday night leading the SAC in assists per set, averaging 7.20 while also providing a defensive spark by averaging 2.07 digs and 0.33 blocks per set. Senior libero Emily Buchberger has been outstanding since seeing her first action at the start of SAC play, averaging 5.09 digs per set while sophomore middle Klaudia Brzeczkowska has been a solid net presence at 0.72 rejections per set.
  • Even though Wayland Baptist has dominated the all-time series, Mid-America Christian has gotten the better of the Pioneers over the last three years as MACU has won 10-straight matches in the series. The two squads got to know each other very well last season with teams ending up meeting five times, twice during the regular season and three times during SAC and NCCAA Tournament play. In its first year as an NCCAA member, the Pioneers managed to advance all the way to the national semifinal match where they squared off against MACU. However, MACU managed to complete the five-match sweep against Wayland as the Evangels grounded out a hard-fought 3-1 win.

Oklahoma Panhandle State

• Record: 5-12 (3-6 SAC)
• Last Match: Lost vs. John Brown (Ark.) – 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-21) – Sept. 28, 2024 – Goodwell, Okla.
• Series vs MACU (2008): MACU leads 10-8
• Last Match vs MACU: MACU won 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-14) – Oct. 28, 2023 – Gaulke Activity Center
• Series Streak: MACU won 4
• Players to Watch:
  • Ava Newby – JR – OH
    • 151 Kills (2.44 K/S), .143 ATK%, 108 Digs (1.74 D/S), 27 Blocks (0.44 B/S)
  • Nyah Ulmer – JR – S
    • 271 Assists (5.21 A/S), 14 Aces (0.27 SA/S), 108 Digs (2.08 D/S)
  • Teagan Mendoza-Werner – SR – DS/L
    • 228 Digs (3.68 D/S), .909 RCV%
  • Cami Kenny – SO – MB
    • 32 Blocks (0.60 B/S)
• Team Notes:
  • After opening SAC competition by winning three of its first four matches and the only defeat being a five-set grinder against Wayland Baptist, Oklahoma Panhandle State has struggled against the toughest part of its schedule as the Aggies have lost five-straight. However, despite being in a five-match skid, OPSU has put up some tough fights, taking a set in each of their defeats against Oklahoma City, Nelson and College of the Ozarks.
  • The Aggies have been especially challenged to find a rhythm in their attack during SAC competition as OPSU enters the weekend ranked ninth in kills per set (10.12) and seventh in attack percentage (.146). Meanwhile, OPSU is allowing its opposition to score 12.59 kills per set on a .161 hitting rate.
  • OPSU features an all-around balanced attack with four players notching 100 kills just 17 matches into the season and three players averaging at least 2.0 kills per set. Ava Newby has been the slight leader in the attack with 151 terminations, but is hitting at just .143.
  • While the all-time series between the two programs has been relatively even, Mid-America Christian has fared better the last two seasons as MACU is currently on a four-match win streak while taking all but one set during that streak. In their last meeting inside the Gaulke Activity Center on Oct. 28, 2023, the Evangels cruised to a dominant sweep while finishing with 45 kills on a blistering .278 attack percentage while holding OPSU to only 20 kills on an .083 rate.