The Missouri Western volleyball continued its historic pace with a 3-0 victory over Missouri Southern Friday night in the MWSU Fieldhouse. It was the team’s 12th win in its last 13 matches and leaves them tied atop the MIAA standings.

The Griffons jumped on the Lions early with 25-14 and 25-12 wins in the first two sets. Missouri Southern came out strong in the third and put MWSU down early but the Griffons rallied back for a 25-22 win.

Jessie Thorup led the team with 14 kills and a .524 hitting percentage. Lindsey Partridge chipped in seven kills with a .636 attack percentage. Erica Rottinghause added 10 kills and Jordan Chohon had five, including three straight unassisted kills.

Missouri Western is now 18-4 overall and 12-2 in the MIAA. A loss by Central Missouri Friday night separated a three way tie atop the MIAA. The Griffons are now tied for first with Nebraska Kearney and face third place Central Oklahoma Saturday night in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western women’s soccer team couldn’t overcome three first period goals from undefeated Central Missouri Friday night in a 3-1 loss to the No. 9 team in the country.

The Jennies struck first but Missouri Western quickly tied it up before two more goals by the visitor to put the Griffons down 3-1 at the half.

Missouri Western outshot Central Missouri, 16-13, and their eight shots on goal were one more than the Jennies but seven saves by Ana Dilkes held MWSU to just one goal.

The loss dropped Missouri Western to 8-6-1 on the season and 5-5-1 in the MIAA. The Griffons host Lindenwood Sunday at noon.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western men’s basketball team has been picked 11th in the preseason MIAA coaches poll.

Central Missouri, the defending national champions, Were picked to win the conference, followed by Fort Hays State and Washburn.

The Griffons finished 10-18 last season wiht a 5-14 mark in MIAA play. A group of returning guards will combine with some new big men for a team that head coah Brett Weiberg expects to be much improved.

Missouri Western begins its season with an exhibition game at Oklahoma State on Nov. 8. Their home schedule begins with the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 21 and 22.

2014-15 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Central Missouri (10)  151
2. Fort Hays State (2)  145
3. Washburn (1)  137
4. Northwest Missouri (1)  129
5. Missouri Southern  120
6. Central Oklahoma  110
7. Nebraska-Kearney 103
8. Emporia State    82
9. Lindenwood    79
10. Pittsburg State    73
11. Missouri Western    53
12. Northeastern State    39
13. Southwest Baptist    29
14. Lincoln    15

— MWSU Sports Information —

For the first time in school history, the Missouri Western women’s soccer team is ranked in the Divsion II Central Region Poll.

The Griffons came in ninth in this week’s poll with an 8-5-1 overall record, all of those games against regional opponents.

Missouri Western is off to the best start in program history. The eight wins match the most in a season ever. Head Coach Chad Edwards became the programs all-time wins leader earlier in the season and their eight shutouts this year are the most by any Griffon Soccer team. The team also recently had a program best five game win streak snapped.

Friday, the No. 2 team in the region, Central Missouri, comes to St. Joseph for an afternoon match up at 4:00 p.m. Missouri Western already has a win over the No. 5 team in the region, Southwest Baptist.

CENTRAL  REGION POLL          
1    Minnesota State-Mankato    14-0-0    14-0-0
2    Central Missouri                  13-0-1    13-0-1
3    Augustana (S.D.)                 11-3-0    11-3-0
4    Winona State                      13-1-0    13-1-0
5    Southwest Baptist               11-3-0    11-3-0
6    Central Oklahoma                9-3-2    9-3-2
7    Fort Hays State                   8-4-2    8-4-2
8    Upper Iowa                          9-4-0    9-4-0
9    Missouri Western State        8-5-1    8-5-1
10    Minot State                        7-5-2    7-5-2

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western women’s Basketball Team was selected 10th in the preseason MIAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll. Emporia State received the most votes in the poll followed by Pittsburg State and Washburn.

The Griffons are coming off a 10-16 record and a 5-14 mark in MIAA play that left them 13th in the conference standings and out of the MIAA tournament. A host of newcomers join a handful of returners on a squad that head coach Rob Edmisson expects to be much improved.

Missouri Western will open the season in SEC country with an exhibition game at the University of Missouri before two games at the Quincy Classic. The Griffons first home game will be on Nov. 20 when they host Rockhurst in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

2014-15 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Emporia State (5) 160
2. Pittsburg State (5) 153
3. Washburn (3) 142
4. Fort Hays State (1) 138
5. Central Missouri 127
6. Missouri Southern 94
7. Lindenwood 85
8. Northeastern State 83
9. Northwest Missouri 74
10. Central Oklahoma 66
11. Missouri Western 60
12. Southwest Baptist 44
13. Nebraska-Kearney 30
14. Lincoln 18

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western women’s golf team finished the Lindenwood Fall Invitational in fourth place with a total score of 654 in the two rounds of golf. Central Oklahoma took the team title shooting a 602 for the event.

Celine Lim continues her consistent play tying for ninth place shooting an 81 and 75 in her rounds of golf. Missouri Western’s Madison Romjue was second on the team, finishing tied for 21st in the field and fired a score of 163.

Lindsey Bensch from Central Oklahoma won the tournament outright shooting a 147 in her two rounds of play.

This tournament will conclude the fall season for the Griffons. They will return to action in the spring of 2015. Please check out gogriffons.com for more information as the season gets closer.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Fans can get their first look at the 2014-2015 Missouri Western men’s and women’s basketball teams on Thursday, October 30 at 7:00 PM as the 11th Annual Griffon Basketball Tip-Off Party will take place in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The night’s festivities will begin with the traditional basketball game pitting the MWSU Faculty against members of the local media.  Then, the Western men’s and women’s basketball teams will be introduced followed by addresses from both Rob Edmisson and Brett Weiberg on the outlook of this years teams.

Both teams will showcase their skills with a short scrimmage followed by a slam dunk contest by the men’s team while the women will compete in a three point shootout.

Admission to the event is free with the first 500 fans in attendance receiving free t-shirts, pizza & refreshments.

Missouri Western students will also be highly involved in the event competing in various contests for gift cards, cash prizes and book scholarships with the grand finale of the evening featuring one lucky student having the opportunity to make a half-court shot for $10,000.

Exhibition play opens up for both teams in early November.  On Saturday, November 8 the Griffon men travel to take on Oklahoma State at 2 PM while the Western women will head to Columbia to take on Missouri on Tuesday, November 11 at 7 PM.

The regular season gets underway for the Missouri Western women the following weekend as they compete in the Quincy Tip-Off Tournament November 14-15 while the Griffon men open the season in the 23rd Annual Hillyard Tip-Off Classic in the fieldhouse on November 21-22.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Coming off their second victory over a top-5 ranked opponent in 2014, the Missouri Western volleyball team is now receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll for the first time this season.

The Griffons received 28 votes in this week’s poll after completing a season sweep of Washburn. The Ichabods were ranked No. 5 both time MWSU defeated them this season.  Washburn is still ranked 8th in the latest poll

Missouri Western is in a three-way tie atop the MIAA standings with No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 19 Central Missouri. The team’s 17th win Sunday at Washburn surpassed last season’s win total and equals the program’s most wins since the 2005 season. The team’s 17-4 record is the best for the program through its first 21 matches since 1987.

Missouri Western hosts Missouri Southern and Central Oklahoma this weekend in the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons already hold victories over both teams this year, including handing the Bronchos their first loss of the year on Sept. 27.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western kicker John Schmiemeier has been named the MIAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week.

The senior went 4-for-5 on field goal attempts Saturday in a 40-14 win at Washburn that included a 48 yard field goal. The Fenton, Missouri native also averaged 60 yards per kickoff on nine kicks to the Ichabods.

Schmiemeier leads all MIAA kickers with 13 made field goals and a 76.5 field goal percentage this season.

He becomes the third Griffon this season to be named an MIAA Athlete of the Week.  Marc Harrison and Kirk Resseguie have earned Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2014.

— MWSU Sports Information —