SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist (13-6, 5-2 GAC) is looking to rebound when it hosts Southern Arkansas (8-12, 3-4 GAC) and Arkansas-Monticello (3-15, 0-7 GAC) on Oct. 16 and 17, respectively.
The Bison went 0-2 last week in road matches against Harding and Arkansas Tech. It was the first time since Sept. 6 (West Texas A&M) and 9 (Central Oklahoma) that OBU lost back-to-back matches.
As for this week's contests, the green and gold have fared extremely well versus SAU and UAM. The Bison are 9-0 against the Muleriders and 8-1 against the Cotton Blossoms. Below you'll find notes on all three teams.
Bison Notes
- OBU will look to get back on track, especially on the defensive end. Harding and Arkansas Tech combined to hit .239.
- That's well above what OBU has given up to this point - .159 - which is the second-best mark in the GAC.
- The Bison's offense wasn't the same, either, last week. The group hit .168, which is lower than the program's current average of .223.
- OBU's .223 hitting percentage is still good for second in the league.
- Individually, Rylee Unruh has four, top-6 marks in the GAC: second in aces per set (0.52); third in overall service aces (34); fifth in points (3.66) and sixth in kills (194).
- Last week, Unruh tallied 17 kills at Harding, her second-highest total this season.
- Allie Stricker has been a reliable force for OBU. Her 188 kills are already a career-best, topping last year's total of 143. That mark is also eighth-best in the conference.
- Libero Karsyn Hunter is having a career-best season as well. The senior has the sixth-best digs-per-set average (4.57) which tops her junior average of 4.04.
- Sophomore Mackenzie Frazee continues to be a force in the middle. She ranks 39th nationally and second in the GAC averaging 1.14 blocks per set.
- Lastly, Emily Boyer and freshman Madi Barnes have directed the OBU offense. Boyer has a 6.03 assists average, sixth-best in the league while Barnes has done a good job totaling double-digit assists in 16 matches.
Muleriders Notes
- SAU has won four in a row after a 3-1 result against East Central at home on Oct. 10.
- However, the Muleriders are 4-10 away from Magnolia this season.
- Defense is where SAU has shined this fall. They rank 16th in the country and third in the GAC with an 18.07 digs-per-set average.
- They are also fifth in Division II with 1,355 total digs.
- On the offensive end, the Muleriders are No. 6 in the country and second in the GAC in assists (877).
- Leading the way offensively are a few players.
- Sadie Kabisch is fifth nationally averaging 5.83 digs per set. She's also second with 414 total digs.
- Plus, Allie Cooper ranks fourth in the GAC with a .345 attack percentage and Brinklee Dauenhauer is fifth in kills (195).
Cotton Blossoms Notes
- UAM has lost nine straight after a 3-0 defeat at Arkansas Fort Smith on Oct. 14.
- During this nine-match skid, the Blossoms have not won a single set.
- As one can guess, Monticello's season has not gone well. They rank last in the GAC in numerous categories including hitting percentage and kills.
- UAM's best team mark is ninth in digs (15.94).
- Jordan Wehr leads that category, averaging 4.2 digs per set. That's seventh-best in the league.
- Mia Smalls had a unique outing on Sept. 20 against Christian Brothers. She recorded a triple-double with 10 kills, 13 assists and 11 digs.
- Smalls is one of only 27 Division II players this fall to accomplish this.
