The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Volleyball team moved up five spots to 14th in the latest NJCAA DI Volleyball rankings on Monday, Feb. 15, after spending the past three weeks ranked 19th.
“It was good to see some movement after the schedule we have played to this point,” Grizzly Volleyball Head Coach Paula Wiedemann said. “We have played some good, quality teams, with five of our nine games being against teams ranked in the national poll.”
On Friday, Feb. 12, the Grizzlies traveled to Union for a Missouri Community College Athletic Conference (MCCAC) game against East Central College and came away with a strong, straight set victory 25-9, 25-10, 25-16.
Statistical leaders in the contest were freshman outside attacker Imani Nicholson with 10 kills; freshman right side attacker Angelina Hardison with a .600 attacking percentage on 9 kills in 15 attempts with no errors and 2 blocks; sophomore setter Julieta Campana with 23 assists; and freshman outside attacker Lauren Weber with 13 digs, 2 aces and a 2.50 passing rating.
“We have been working on coming in and getting things done in practice. That takes people walking through the door ready to work, communicating and making things happen rather than waiting to see if it’s going to be a good day. At some point during the season, that’s what it boils down to, either you’re ready to make it happen or you’re not,” Wiedemann said.
“We cannot leave it to chance,” she added. “It doesn’t matter who is on the other side of the net. Respect the work that goes into playing the game well. And that’s what we did against East Central. We walked through the door ready to get things done, played that way and dominated the game from the beginning.”
Next up for the Grizzlies is the Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon Classic Friday and Saturday in Hutchinson, Kansas. On Friday, the Grizzlies are scheduled to play Indian Hills Community College, Ottumwa, Iowa, at 2 p.m. and Seminole State College, Seminole, Oklahoma, at 8 p.m. On Saturday, the Grizzlies will face Butler Community College, Eldorado, Kansas, at 9:30 a.m. and Pratt Community College, Pratt, Kansas, at 11:30 a.m.
Considering the current weather conditions and additional snow, there may be some game postponements, Wiedemann said. If a game is postponed, an announcement will be made on the Grizzly Volleyball Facebook page, @MUSWPVB, and posted on the Grizzly Athletics website.
For more information about the Grizzly Volleyball program, visit www.msuwpgrizzlies.com
