WEST PLAINS, Mo. – The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Volleyball team will try to get back on the winning track when they host Region 16/Missouri Community College Athletic Conference (MCCAC) rival Mineral Area College (MAC) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the West Plains Civic Center arena.
The Grizzlies (4-9) posted a 1-3 record this past weekend at the Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon Classic Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.
“Mineral Area is really, really good. Their sophomores set the tone for their team. The attitude they bring to the court is exactly what you want to see in a group,” Grizzly Volleyball Head Coach Paula Wiedemann said of her team’s upcoming opponent. The Cardinals from Park Hills are undefeated and currently ranked 10th in the nation.
To win, the Grizzlies will have to continue building on the improvements they’ve been making, which were evident in Kansas despite the tournament record. “We are better in how players are executing a skill, but we need to be better in how we go about playing through a game. We have a little over a month until regionals, and there is a need to get things going very quickly,” the coach said.
AT KANSAS TOURNAMENT
At Kansas, the Grizzlies lost for the second time this season to No. 2 Iowa Western Community College (IWCC), Council Bluffs, 11-25, 21-25, 21-25. They also fell to New Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, 19-25-18-25, 21-25 and Northeastern Junior College, Sterling, Colorado, 19-25, 19-25, 26-24, 22-25. But, they defeated Frank Phillips College, Borger, Texas, 25-16, 25-23, 28-26.
“We’re playing good teams. Our schedule is unforgiving. It’s a matter of being able to continue to improve through complete games, not just part of it,” Wiedemann said. “We’re good through 15 or 18 points, so we need to get better to 20, then 22, then to 25. We have to work on having enough fight to outlast our opponents. Not having any returning court experience in games makes that something we have to learn across the board. The work that goes into that piece of the game can make such a difference. We have to get to where we can handle that.”
The Grizzlies played better against IWCC this past weekend, the coach said, pointing out they were able to put some pressure on the Reivers and looked very good at times doing it. And against Frank Phillips, the Grizzlies capitalized on Plainsmen’s errors in the first set then found a rhythm in the next two sets to finish out a straight set win.
“We’re just not putting the pressure on teams the way we need to,” the coach said. “On the flip side, we have to be able to handle pressure better. We have two or three players who can handle it fairly well. We need to be able to, as a group, handle the pressure so we can perform at a higher level.”
STATISTICAL LEADERS FOR TOURNEY
Statistical leaders for the tournament were freshman middle attacker Keziah Williams, who led the team in kills (34), attacking percentage (.333), blocks (five) and points earned (41); redshirt freshman setter Kinli Simmons, who led the team in assists with 67; freshman right side attacker Tatjana Trifkovic, who led the team in blocks (five) and service aces (three); and freshman libero Kamryn Artale, who led the team in digs with 61.
“Our ability to play is there. It’s our habits of how we play that need to get much better,” Wiedemann. “That’s where you develop the feel of trust, fight and the dynamics that give you presence on the floor, and that’s what we’re lacking.
“This game is demanding. You have to respect the work that goes into it and how you do that work,” Wiedemann added. “We’ve got to continue developing good habits and improve how we go about playing the game.”
For more information about the Grizzly Volleyball team, visit www.wp.missouristate.edu/grizzly/vb/. For complete statistics of the Grizzlies’ games, visit team’s NJCAA page.
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