Weekly Notes (pdf)
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Setting the Scene
     Two stiff tests await the Southwestern Oklahoma State University volleyball team this week as they look to get back on track for the stretch run of the Great American conference season.
     The Bulldogs travel to Durant on Tuesday evening for a meeting with Southeastern Oklahoma State before hosting conference co-leader Harding on Saturday for Homecoming.
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Previous Meetings
     Southeastern and SWOSU have played each other 12 times since SWOSU started playing volleyball at the Division II level in 2005, making it the most-played rivalry in SWOSU volleyball's brief history. The Savage Storm have won eight of the previous 12 meetings, but SWOSU was 2-0 against Southeastern last season. The Bulldogs swept SOSU in Weatherford before going to five sets in Durant to earn the season sweep.
     The all-time series against Harding also dates back to the Bulldogs' inaugural season of volleyball in 2005. However, SWOSU has not fared as well against the Lady Bisons, dropping all seven of the previous meetings. It was Harding that ended the Bulldogs season in 2012 after they eliminated SWOSU in five sets at the Great American Conference tournament.
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The Coaches
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Josh Collins is in his second season as the head volleyball coach at SWOSU after serving as an assistant the previous seven seasons. His first team finished 13-20 overall but rallied for a 10-4 conference record, finishing fourth in the Great American Conference. He is currently 21-36 as the Lady Bulldogs head man but 14-7 in GAC contests.
     Jenn King was named the third head volleyball coach in Southeastern Oklahoma State history the spring of 2010. In three plus years with the Savage Storm, she has a record of 39-73. King came to Southeastern after two seasons at Saint Leo (Fla.) where the Lions amassed a 59-15 record while she handled the outside hitters and defense as an assistant.
     Meredith Fear is in her second year as the head coach of the Harding volleyball team and Senior Woman Adminstrator after spending two seasons as the head coach at York College in Nebraska. Fear has a record of 45-13 to date at Harding and she led the Lady Bisons to the 2012 Great American Conference championship.
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Last Time Out
     With a two-set lead and up 8-2 to open the third set, it appeared that the Southwestern Oklahoma State University volleyball was going to cruise to a second straight three-set victory on Saturday afternoon.
     Ouachita Baptist, however, had other plans and rallied back to take the third set 25-22 and eventually claim the match with a comeback in the fifth set. Scores of the set were 25-20, 25-19, 22-25, 22-25, 14-16.
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Carly Zak and
Alison Cole each had 20-kill efforts to lead SWOSU. Zak put down 21 kills and Cole 20 in the effort while
Joey Collins added 17. The Bulldogs put down 68 kills in the match, as opposed to 62 for OBU, but were outhit .218 to .195 by the Tigers.
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About the Opponents
     Southeastern Oklahoma State has the same conference record as SWOSU at 4-3 and the Savage Storm are currently on a two-game winning streak. SOSU is led by Emily Gentle who ranks fourth in the GAC with an average of 3.64 kills per set.
     Harding has been on a roll of late, winning 12 of their last 15 matches with their lone losses coming against nationally-ranked Washburn and Central Missouri and another MIAA foe in Emporia State. The Lady Bisons are led by defending GAC Player of the Year Mollie Arnold, the conference leader with an average of 4.11 kills per set.
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Standings Check
     The Bulldogs are currently tied for fourth in the Great American Conference with Arkansas Tech and Southeastern Oklahoma State, one of this week's opponents. With a 4-3 conference record, SWOSU is one-half game ahead of Southern Arkansas and Ouachita Baptist for seventh place in the GAC.
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Record Breakers
     Senior middle hitter
Alison Cole and freshman outside hitter
Carly Zak have been moving up SWOSU single-season record lists all season and both are carving out their place in history.
     In last week's match against Oklahoma Baptist, Cole set the single-season record for assist blocks, which now stands at 83, and her 103 total blocks ranks third and she is on pace to claim that record as well. Cole currently leads the Great American Conference with an average of 1.13 blocks per set, a number that would also set a new school record if it stands.
     Zak has burst onto the scene as a freshman for the Bulldogs. She leads the team and ranks third in the GAC with 307 kills, an average of 3.65 per set. Her kills number is currently the fifth-best in a single season at SWOSU and her average, if it holds, would set rank second in school history. Zak has put down ten or more kills in 12 straight matches, including 20+ kills in three of the team's last four matches. Against Oklahoma Baptist, she set a new career high with 25 kills, the second-most in a single match in school history.
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Looking Ahead
     Two more conference matches await the Bulldogs next week. SWOSU will host the return meeting with Southern Nazarene on Tuesday before a quick turnaround for a trip to Northwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday.
