PITTSBURG, Kan. – Griffon volleyball (13-9) swept Pittsburg State (3-18) for its second straight win 25-22, 25-15, 25-18. MWSU has now won five out of its last six matches.

STRAIGHT SERVING
Missouri Western wasted little time in the first set setting the tone for the match. Ali Tauchen served seven straight points from the service line. Tauchen’s run at the service line allowed MWSU to open a 7-2 advantage in the set.

FREE POINTS
Pittsburg State helped the Griffon cause by giving away points. The Gorillas gave up 28 points in errors for the match. PSU committed 20 attack errors, seven service errors and one block error. Pittsburg State finished with a .073 hitting percentage in the match.

EFFECTIVE ATTACKS
MWSU found clear hitting lines in the PSU defense all match. The Griffons hit .245 for the match as a team and finished with 41 kills. Stephanie Doak led Missouri Western with 14 kills and a .321 hitting percentage. Ali Tauchen added 10 kills as she hit .444 for the match.

UP NEXT
Missouri Western returns to the MWSU Fieldhouse on Friday, Sept. 20 to host Emporia State at 6 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

EDMOND, Okla. – Griffon volleyball (12-9) shocked No. 7 Central Oklahoma (20-2) 3-2. Missouri Western snapped Central Oklahoma’s 17 match winning streak and 23 match home winning streak.

GIANT KILLERS
MWSU has beaten a ranked team in each of the last three seasons under head coach Marian Carbin. It is also the highest ranked team MWSU has knocked off since Oct. 18, 2014 when it beat No. 5 Washburn 3-2 in Topeka, Kansas.

STEALING ONE ON THE ROAD
Missouri Western did something that no other MIAA team has done since 2015. MWSU’s 25-19 second set win was the first set UCO had lost in 39 consecutive sets of MIAA play at Hamilton Fieldhouse. The last MIAA set and last match the Bronchos lost at home was on Nov. 21, 2015 in the MIAA Tournament to Central Missouri. The Griffons are also the first team to take Central Oklahoma to five sets in Edmond, Oklahoma since Oct. 12, 2015 when No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney lost to UCO.

BLOCKED!
The Griffons out blocked the Bronchos 10-6 in the five-set victory. MWSU finished with two solo blocks and 16 block assists. It is tied for the second most total blocks in a match this season for Missouri Western.

TEAM EFFORT
Five different players ended with double-digit kills for MWSU. Ali Tauchen led the way with 16 kills as three other Griffons added 13 kills apiece. As a team, Missouri Western finished with 69 kills, two more than Central Oklahoma. Lauren Murphy assisted 63 of those kills, the third most in a five-set match in program history.

UP NEXT
Missouri Western travels to Pittsburg State on Saturday, Oct. 14. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. at John Lance Arena in Pittsburg, Kansas.

— MWSU Athletics —

EDMOND, Okla. – Griffon soccer’s first-ever win over Central Oklahoma (5-6-2, 2-2-2) gave Missouri Western (11-2, 5-1) its 11th win of the season, Friday, tying the program record for wins in a season.

The Griffons scored three second half goals to win their fifth MIAA game of the season, 3-0.

MORE HISTORY
The dominant victory was Missouri Western’s first-ever over Central Oklahoma. The Griffons came into Friday’s contest 0-4-1 all-time against the Bronchos. Missouri Western’s win also tied the 2016 program record of 11 wins in a season. Another win this season will tie the most MIAA wins in program history. The Griffons’ eighth shutout of the season also tied a program record set in 2014.

HUGE SECOND HALF
After neither team mustered a goal through the first 45 minutes, the Griffons owned the second half, getting their first goal just three minutes into the second half. Bridget Blessie got the scoring going with a header off a Madeline Cowell corner kick in the 48th minute. Cassidy Menke scored her 12th goal of the season, beating the UCO goal keeper one-one-one in the 76th minute. Sydney Cluck scored the all-important third goal in the 85th minute off an assist from Sara Collins. After being out-shot 7-2 in the first 45 minutes, the Griffons responded with six second half shots to one by UCO. Missouri Western had just one corner kick through the first 45 to four for the Bronchos. The last 45 minutes featured five Griffon corners to none for UCO.

BIG ONE UP NEXT
Missouri Western could create more separation from a crowded pack toward the top of the MIAA with a win on Sunday at Northeastern State (10-1, 4-1). The Griffons and RiverHawks kick off Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western men’s golf team tied for first place with a 878 in the Holiday Inn/Candlewood Suites MWSU Invite at the St. Joseph Country Club Tuesday. Western fell to Harding on the second hole of a sudden death playoff as the Griffons set a program record for lowest score in a 54-hole event.

MWSU placed everyone inside the top-25 of the individual field. Patrick McCarthy tied for fourth with a 3-over-par 216 to lead the team. Lucas Horseman tied for 13th with a 220, his best finish as a Griffon. Jacob Majeske also had his best tournament finish as he tied for 20th with a 222. Tom Buffington and Kevin Kim both carded a 223 to finish 25th in the event.

Missouri Western fell to Harding on the second hole of a sudden death playoff for the tournament championship. Central Missouri’s John Bonaobra took individual honors with a 2-under-par 211.

MWSU travels to its final fall event Monday in the Washburn Invitational at the Topeka Country Club.

— MWSU Athletics —

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Missouri Western women’s golf added another top-five finish to its season total. MWSU shot a 634 to finish fifth in the Midwest Classic at Mules National Golf Club Tuesday.

Shi Qing Ong finished tied for second with a 140 to lead the Griffon in the event. Chong Yong carded a 154 to finish in a tie for seventh place. Tiffanie Yabut trailed Yong by five strokes and ended with a 159. Jenna Kosmatka scored a 172 and Katie Irvin recorded a 177 in the two rounds.

Arkansas Tech won the team title with a 613 and Nebraska Kearney’s Samantha Crawford claimed the individual championship with a 145. The Midwest Classic wrapped up the Griffons fall season.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After helping the Missouri Western football team to its third straight win this past Saturday, Griffon seniors Cody Lindsay and Tyler Basch were rewarded by the MIAA. Lindsay was named MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week while Basch earned MIAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week honors.

Lindsay had one of Missouri Western’s two interception returns for a touchdown in the 40-8 win over Lindenwood. His pick-six went 25 yards and went along with a fumble recovery, two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss, seven total tackles, a pass break up and a quarterback hurry.

Basch was 4-for-4 on field goal and extra point attempts, scoring 16 of Missouri Western’s 40 points. The senior kicker was good from 24, 40, 25 and 31 yards in the game and now leads the MIAA with 12 made field goals this season.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western men’s golf team is in second place with a 580 after two rounds at the Holiday Inn/Candlewood Suites MWSU Invitational at the St. Joseph Country Club. MWSU scored a 286 in the second round Monday, the lowest total in a round since 2008-09.

Patrick McCarthy led Missouri Western with a 1-over-par 143 and is tied for fifth place. Lucas Horseman finished the day tied for seventh with a 2-over-par 144. Tied for 15th is Kevin Kim as he carded a 4-over-par 146 on the day. Tom Buffington recorded a 147 and Jacob Majeske ended with a 149 to round the Griffon scorecard.

Central Missouri leads the team standings with a 577, three strokes ahead of Missouri Western. UCM’s John Bonaobra is the individual leader with a 2-under-par 140. MWSU tees off the final round on Oct. 10 at 9 a.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Missouri Western women’s golf team shot a 310 on Monday and they’re in fifth place after the first round in the Midwest Classic at Mules National Golf Course. MWSU is just four strokes back of first place.

Shi Qing Ong led Missouri Western with a 2-over-par 73 and is tied for second place. Chong Yong, tied for seventh place, trailed Ong by just two strokes with a 4-over-par 75 in the round. Tiffanie Yabut carded 79 and Jenna Kosmatka scored an 83 in the round. Katie Irvin rounded out the MWSU scorecard with an 86.

Augustana, Arkansas Tech and Central Missouri all lead the team standings after the first day with a 306. UCM’s Olivia Sobaski leads the individual field with a 1-over-par 72.

Missouri Western begins second round play on Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 8:48 a.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The 20th-ranked Missouri Western soccer team suffered its first home loss in almost a year, 1-0 in double overtime to Fort Hays State, Sunday.

It was Missouri Western’s first MIAA loss and just the second overall this season, dropping MWSU to 10-2 overall and 4-1 in MIAA play. The Griffons last home loss came on Oct. 23, 2016 against Emporia State. The game winner for Fort Hays State came in the 106th minute of the game, with less than four minutes remaining in the second overtime. Silvana Romero scored from 10 yards out on the left side of the box.

NET CHALLENGE
Missouri Western out-shot Fort Hays State, 25-11 in the game and had 11 shots on goal, but just couldn’t seem to find the back of the net. Sarah Lyle only faced two shots on frame in the entirety of the game, saving one and allowing the game winner. Cassidy Menke tied an MWSU single-game record with 11 total shots, six of them on goal. The only period the Griffons didn’t out-shoot the Tigers was the second overtime when FHSU had three shots while holding the Griffons to none.

UP NEXT
It’s five straight road games for the Griffons, beginning next weekend with a trip to Oklahoma.  Missouri Western begins the long road swing Friday at Central Oklahoma before a game Sunday at Northeastern State.  The next home game is the regular season finale for the Griffons, Oct. 29 against Central Missouri.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western football team celebrated Military Appreciation Day by forcing five Lindenwood turnovers, scoring twice on defense and winning its third-straight game, 40-8 over Lindenwood on Saturday.

STREAKS STAY ALIVE
The Griffons scored at least 40 points for the fifth straight game after scoring just three in the season opener at Nebraska Kearney. It was also the Griffons’ third straight win overall and third win in three home games this season. Joshua Caldwell had his fifth straight 100-yard rushing effort and the defense extended its interception streak to five straight games.

DEFENSE IS THE OFFENSE
The offense did its part, but the Griffon defense outscored Lindenwood, 14-0 all by itself. The Griffons got two interception returns for touchdowns and held the Lindenwood offense out of the end zone, with the Lions’ only score coming on a kickoff return for a touchdown. Coming into Saturday’s game, Lindenwood had thrown just one interception all season and the Griffons picked the Lions off four times. After five forced turnovers on Saturday, Missouri Western has forced 21 all season and is +13 in turnover margin.

GROUND GAME DOESN’T SKIP A BEAT
Missouri Western rushed for 377 yards in the game and Joshua Caldwell had his fifth-straight 100-yard rushing performance with 171 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The rushing total padded the team’s MIAA leading rushing total. With two games still remaining Saturday, the Griffons were averaging more than 73 yards more per game on the ground than second-ranked Pittsburg State. The impressive rushing total took the pressure off quarterback Dom Marino who only had to complete 7-of-14 passes for 48 yards to earn his fourth win as a starter.

BASCH HAS ANOTHER DAY
Senior kicker Tyler Basch went 4-for-4 on field goal attempts and made all four of his extra point attempts. Basch was good from 24, 40, 25 and 31 yards in the game. He’s now 12-for-15 on the season on field goal attempts and 26-of-28 on PATs.

UP NEXT
Missouri Western (4-2) hits the road for a game at Pittsburg State (2-3) on Oct. 14. The Gorillas were scheduled to play at No. 11 Fort Hays State, Saturday night.

— MWSU Athletics —