ROLLA, Mo.  –  Missouri S&T women's volleyball will be hosting their final two matches of the 2026 season this week, welcoming the Drury Panthers for the "Haunt the Court" night and the Southwest Baptist Bearcats for the Senior Day on Saturday.
 
About the Miners
Missouri S&T's defensive dominance continued over last weekend, with the Miners recording 25 blocks across the two matches, including a season-high 4.33 blocks per set against Rockhurst. S&T now ranks 15th in Division II for blocks per set, averaging 2.41.

Smith and Kate Zipprich (Hardin, IL/Calhoun) are two of the top blockers in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). Smith ranks first in the conference and 12th nationally for blocks per set with 1.27, while Zipprich's 1.07 per set is third-best in GLVC.
 
About Drury
The Panthers are fourth in the GLVC standings, holding a 17-6 overall record and going 7-2 against conference opponents. They have won their last three matches, defeating Saginaw Valley State at the Midwest Region Crossover before picking up conference victories over Truman State and Upper Iowa last week.

Drury is top three in the conference for kills, blocks, points, assists and digs, ranking fourth in NCAA Division II for the latter with 18.94 digs per set. Their leading attacker is Skylar Hilton, a sophomore middle blocker who is averaging 2.71 kills per set and ranks third in the GLVC for hitting percentage (.385).
 
About Southwest Baptist
The Bearcats went 0-2 last weekend, dropping them to 3-6 in the GLVC this season. They sit on the fringe of making the GLVC tournament, just a couple matches behind Quincy who currently holds the 8th spot in the standings.

Southwest Baptist ranks fifth in the conference for hitting percentage with a .223 mark this year. Essence Gilmer leads the Bearcats in that metric, hitting .252. Gabriela Dupree is the team's top attacker, ranking third in the conference in kills per set with 3.61.
 
Promotions
Friday night's "Haunt the Court" match will include the fourth Pickaxe Platoon Rewards sticker of the season. The evening will also include a collaboration with ResLife's Color Quest where students will have the opportunity to earn points for their hall and earn prizes with a costume contest and a Halloween-themed game.
Saturday will be senior day as the Miners recognize Smith and Selin Ozdemir (Ankara, Turkey/Bilim) for their volleyball careers and their contributions to the S&T women's volleyball program.
 
What's Next
S&T will travel Illinois Springfield and Quincy next week for the final matches of the regular season.

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