The Missouri Western volleyball team went 1-1 Friday, beating Bemidji State in game one (3-0) and losing to Augustana College in a tough fought five-game set at the NSIC Challenge in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Game 1

The Griffons picked up right where they left off from the past weekend, sweeping Bemidji State three sets to none. It made the third consecutive sweep for the Griffons dating back to last Saturday. MWSU shut down the Beavers offensively, not allowing more than 16 points in any game through the three set match.

Sophomore Kelsey Olion led the way offensively with 12 kills and posted a .611 attack percentage. The Griffons also received solid production out of Amanda Boender and Jessie Thorup with each adding 11 kills apiece.

Other leaders for the Griffons included Jordan Chohon giving out 41 assist in the match and also Sarah Faubel with 15 digs.

Game 2

The second match of the day for the Griffons lasted until the fifth set with Augustana winning 3-2. MWSU took the first and third set in the match but Augustana managed to comeback in the fourth and fifth set to get the victory.

The Griffons again had a balanced attack with four individuals posting double-figure kills. Junior Jessica Thorup had 22 kills throughout the match. Erica Rottinghaus (17), Amanda Boender (13) and Kelsey Olion (11) scored double-figure kills.

Again the Griffons were set up by Jordan Chohon assisting on 61 points. The team leader in digs was Sarah Faubel with 18 in the match.

Action continues for the Griffon volleyball team against Minnesota State University Moorhead at 2 p.m. and University of Sioux Falls 7 p.m., on Saturday

— MWSU Sports Information —

After competing for his home country, Ukraine, earlier this month at the FIBA Basketball World Championship, Kansas freshman guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (pronounced Sviat-is-slov Meh-kai-luke, prefers to be called “Svi” pronounced “Svee”) arrived in Lawrence on Monday, Sept. 8. The 6-8, 195-pound native of Cherkasy, Ukraine, briefly met with some of the media before he continued his orientation to the KU campus.

At 17, Mykhailiuk is the youngest player in the Big 12 Conference, yet still brings a lot of international experience to the KU squad. Just before making the Ukraine national team, Mykhailiuk earned all-tournament team honors at the U18 European Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he averaged 16.0 points and 4.1 rebounds during the event. In April, he played opposite KU freshmen teammates Kelly Oubre and Cliff Alexander in the World Select Team’s loss to Team USA at the 2014 Nike Hoops Summit in Portland.

— KU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western soccer team broke a record for most goals in a match on the way to a 6-0 victory over East Central University that propelled the program to its first-ever 2-0 start.

The squad broke the previous record for goals in a match (4) set against East Central on Aug. 29, 2008 when Sydney Andrews scored on a penalty kick to put MWSU up 5-0. The record would be set once again at the 84:11 mark when Drew Mantlo took a steal and launched it into the net from 23 yards out. Brittany Mueller, K.C. Ramsell, Sydney Cluck and Katie Kempf also added goals.

Sarah Lyle is now 2-0 with two shutouts in goal for the Griffons. It is the team’s first 2-0 start in program history.

Just two games into the season, Missouri Western has already matched its season win total from a season ago (2-14-2).

The Griffons open their home schedule this week for matches with Bemidji State on Sept. 12 at Spratt Stadium at 7 p.m., and Augustana on Sept. 14 at noon.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Day one of the Rockhurst Classic finished with Missouri Western Volleyball team sitting 1-1 on the day and on the season. After a 3-1 opening victory over Findlay, MWSU fell 3-1 to Rockhurst Friday evening. MWSU takes on East Central University and William Jewell Saturday at Rockhurst.

Game 1
Missouri Western 3, Findlay 1

MWSU took the first two sets with Findlay claiming the third 25-22. The Griffons closed out the match, taking the fourth set 25-17.

Erica Rottinghaus led the Griffs with 20 kills. Not far behind was Jessie Thorup, whose possition change seems to have paid off in the first game. Thorup had 13 kills.

Game 2
Missouri Western 1, Rockhurst 3

After taking the first set 25-22, the Griffons failed to break the 20-point barrier for the next three sets. The Hawks closed out the match with 25-17; 25-19 and 25-12 scores.

Thorup bested her match one total with 14 kills. Rottinghaus’ 13 kills against Rockhurst left her with 33 on the day. Jordan Chohon is racking up the assists early in the season. After finishing match one with 46, Chohon had all 44 assists for MWSU in the second match.

— MWSU Sports Information —

It took 111 minutes, but the Missouri Western soccer team’s first goal of the season was a big one. Teddi Serna’s rebound goal in the second overtime period gave the Griffons the win and completed a season opening sweep for MWSU football, volleyball and soccer.

Western won their opener over Findlay, 3-1

It may have taken nearly two hours to get one in the net but MWSU had its chances, controlling the action throughout the game. The Griffons finished with 25 shots, 12 on goal. Defensively, Sarah Lyle saw just three Harding shots on goal.

Serna had two shots on goal, including the game winner. Tara Russell had four shots on goal, all were stopped by Harding keeper Ashley Hudson, who finished with 11 saves.

MWSU continues action in the GAC/MIAA Challenge Sunday when they take on East Central University at 1 p.m.

— MWSU Sports Information —

It took nearly 59 minutes to accomplish it, but Missouri Western’s first lead of the game proved to be the game winner Thursday night over Central Missouri in the season opener.

Defensive nose guard Arbanis Elliot’s interception with two minutes to play set the table for a Raphael Spencer 3-yard touchdown run with 1:28 remaining that gave the Griffons a 10-9 win and their 11th victory in the last 12 meetings against the Mules.

Spencer rushed for 161 yards on 30 carries, leading a Missouri Western offense that experienced growing pains for the majority of the night.

Redshirt freshman TJ Lafaver made his first career start at quarterback for the Griffons, and struggled in his debut,  going 3-12 for 14 yards through the air with three interceptions.   Skyler Windmiller, Missouri Western’s other redshirt freshman quarterback, played the majority of the second half, going 5-11 for 69 yards.

But it was the Missouri Western defense that shined in the opener, holding a high-powered Central Missouri offensive attack to just nine points, and keeping the Mules out of the red zone.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Mules got on the board first in the second with a  LaVance Taylor 47-yard touchdown run with 6:06 remaining in the half.  Cornerback Mike Jordan blocked the extra point, keeping the score at 6-0 heading to halftime.

The Griffons scored their first points of the 2014 season with 1:21 left in the 3rd quarter on a John Schmiemeier 34-yard field goal that made it a 6-3 game.

The Mules answered with a Will Mondragon 29-yard field goal with 8:03 left in the 4th quarter to extend their lead to 9-3.

But the momentum shift came just before the two-minute warning, with Central pinned back against its own end zone.  Elliot intercepted Mules quarterback Hayden Hawk’s pass from his defensive tackle position on 3rd and 18 that gave the Griffons the ball on the Central five-yard line.

Spencer then scored on 3rd and goal from three yards out to give the Griffons their first lead of the game with 1:28 remaining.  The defense held and time ran out on Central’s final drive to secure the one-point victory.

This is the fewest the Griffons have scored in a victory since September 7th, 2002.  Western defeated South Dakota 10-3.

Next up for the Griffons (1-0, 1-0 MIAA), a trip to Edmond Oklahoma to take on Central Oklahoma (1-0, 1-0 MIAA) Saturday, September 13th at 6:00 p.m.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western Men’s Golf team finished in a tie for third place at the rain-shortened Missouri Intercollegiate Championships at the Porto Cima Country Club. The tournament started Monday and was scheduled to run through Wednesday, but weather forced a cancellation of the last day. MWSU shot 601 through two rounds.

Missouri Western finished only behind William Woods University and Missouri Southern State who took first and second place respectively. William Woods ended the tournament with the top three golfers. Stan Gautier and David Houlding each finished with a (-6) for William Woods earning themselves the low score of the competition.

The Griffons had two individuals place in the top-10. Freshman Cory Knight finished on top for the Griffons with scores of 71 and 73, shooting an even par and tying him for fourth place. Senior Scott Sheldon finished seventh, shooting a 73 both rounds.

Missouri Western hopes to build off this weekend’s successful outing as they head to Jefferson City, Mo. as Lincoln University host their fall classic on Sunday, September 7 – Tuesday, September 9 starting at 8 a.m.

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Wesern Women’s Golf team was picked sixth and the men seventh in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Polls.

The women finished the 2013-14 campaign with a seventh place finish at the MIAA Championships. Callie Wilson returns after leading the Griffons individually with a 10th place finish at the MIAA Championships.

The men wrapped up last season with a seventh place finish at the MIAA Championships and landed ninth in the final team standings. Scott Sheldon led the way for MWSU with a 13th place finish in the MIAA Championships. Sheldon returns for the 2014-15 season.

The Griffon Men begin the season Sept. 1 at the Missouri Intercollegiate in Sunrise Beach, Mo. The women tee off at the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Invite on Sept. 8.

Central Missouri was picked to repeat as champions on the men’s side with Central Oklahoma also picked to defend their crown on the women’s side.

2014 MIAA Preseason Men’s Coaches Poll
1. Central Missouri (10)  100
2. Central Oklahoma      85
3. Northeastern State (1)     81
4. Lindenwood      71
5. Nebraska-Kearney    65
6. Washburn       56
7. Missouri Western      41
T8. Lincoln       33
T8. Missouri Southern       33
10. Fort Hays State    30
11. Southwest Baptist       10

2014 MIAA Preseason Women’s Coaches Poll
1. Central Oklahoma (9)  81
2. Northeastern State (1)  73
3. Lindenwood  60
4. Central Missouri  50
5. Nebraska-Kearney  47
6. Missouri Western  45
7. Northwest Missouri  38
8. Fort Hays State  27
9. Southwest Baptist  18
10. Lincoln  11

— MWSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Western soccer team was picked to finish in the same spot as they left off the 2013 season as they Griffons were picked to finished 12th in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

Chad Edwards squad returns with four seniors on a team that was plagued with injuries a season ago. Missouri Western returns several key players including Senior K.C. Ramsell, Senior Teddi Serna, Junior Sydney Andrews, Junior Drew Mantlo and Sophomore Taylor Gant. The quartet started at least 17 of the 18 games last season.

Senior Tara Russellnonly played nine games last season due to injury, but managed to lead the offense with four goals and one assist.

Missouri Western will kick-off its season against Harding University on Sept. 5, in the MIAA/GAC Challenge in Searcy, Arkansas. MWSU hosts Bemidji State in its home opener on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. at Spratt Stadium.

Central Missouri is picked to repeat as champions followed by Southwest Baptist which finished third in 2013.

2014 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Central Missouri (11) 121
2. Southwest Baptist 100
3. Central Oklahoma (1) 98
4. Northeastern State 91
5. Washburn 72
6. Lindenwood 71
7. Fort Hays State 70
8. Nebraska-Kearney 50
9. Emporia State 47
10. Missouri Southern 30
11. Northwest Missouri 27
12. Missouri Western 15

— MWSU Sports Information —