Press Release

Sept. 11, 2008

Bearcats Head to New York for Final Nonconference Weekend

Match Notes (.pdf)

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Northwest Missouri State volleyball ventures out east for the first time in program history, traveling to Oakdale, N.Y., for the Hilton Garden Inn Invitational Sept. 12-13 at Dowling College.

The Bearcats face three teams who advanced to the NCAA tournament last season, and all three will be first-time opponents for Northwest. The host Dowling Golden Lions advanced to the national quarterfinals held at Washburn last season, while Bentley and Adelphi were both second-round teams.

Northwest suffered a rough weekend at the Missouri Southern Invitational, going 0-4 and having seven sets decided by three points or less. Sara Falcone led the Bearcats with 31 kills and a .379 hitting percentage in the four matches.

Alex Hanna earned her first collegiate start against Midwestern State Sept. 5 after leading the Bearcat offense in the two previous matches against Mary and Drury. Hanna led Northwest with a .305 hitting percentage and 3.7 kills per set in those three matches.

Amber Ryan continues to remain consistent at the net, with a .317 hitting percentage through the season's first eight matches. She's one of two sophomores in the MIAA with a hitting percentage greater than .300 and ranks eighth overall in league statistics.

Head Coach Anna Tool will have a chance to move up Northwest coaching records. A pair of wins will tie her with her predecessor Lori Slight with 35 career wins, while a sweep of all three teams will put Tool alone in sixth all-time.