ST. LOUIS, MO & LEBANON, IL  --  The Missouri S&T Volleyball team is looking to carry their momentum from the Midwest Region Crossover into conference play this week after going undefeated in Hammond, Indiana. They are set for matches against RV Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) and McKendree.

About the Miners
Missouri S&T is 5-14 but are currently 0-5 against Great Lakes Valley Conference opponents. The team moved up to 6th in the conference for aces per set after the crossover, picking up 35 in 3 matches and setting a school record for most aces in a three-set match. Elly Decker (Manhattan, IL/Lincoln Way West) and Annie Arand (Washington, MO/St. Francis Borgia) combined for 16 of those aces, with Decker now ranking 7th in the conference for aces per set. Selin Ozdemir (Ankara, Turkey/TED Ankara Koleji) had three of her best matches at the Crossover, averaging 4.25 kills per set and hitting at .359 while adding 6 aces and 2 blocks.

Kate Zipprich (Hardin, IL/Calhoun) added another 13 blocks to her season total at the Crossover, bringing her season total to 75 as she remains second in the GLVC for blocks per set (1.21). The team's 2.18 blocks per set is 4th best in the conference and ranks them in the top 50 in all of Division II.

About the Tritons
UMSL entered the season receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll but have failed to break into the top 25 yet. Most recently, the team received 16 votes after going undefeated at the Midwest Region Crossover, taking down Hillsdale, Davenport, and Wayne State (MI). The Tritons rank in the top three in the GLVC for 11 different categories and are 3rd in Division II for assists per set (13.8) and 8th in Division II for kills per set (14.57). The Miners defeated a 14th-ranked UMSL team last year in Gibson Arena in a five-set thriller.

UMSL's Caitlin Bishop is one of the best setters in the nation, earning AVCA Honorable Mention All-America and Midwest Region honors for both AVCA and D2CCA. She is 2nd in the nation with 12.06 assists per set. Bishop has benefited from having three of the most consistent hitters in the conference on her team, with Iyannah Jackson, Hannah Copeland, and Alayna Santel each ranking in the top 12 in the conference for hitting percentage.

About the Bearcats
The Bearcats are just outside of qualifying for the GLVC tournament right now, ranking 9th in the conference with a 3-3 record. They will host Maryville on Friday night before Saturday's match against S&T.

McKendree's Ashlyn Berczynski ranks 3rd in the conference and 32nd in Division II for total digs, with 357, contributing to the team's 16.76 digs per set average that is 6th-best in the GLVC. Destiny Gray is the team's biggest contributor offensively, averaging team highs of 3.13 kills per set, 3.69 points per set, and 10.06 attacks per set.

What's Next
The Miners will return home for Halloween Sticker Night vs Rockhurst on 10/31 along with a match against William Jewell on 11/1.

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