WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern College volleyball returns to Stewart Fieldhouse on Monday, Oct. 5, for a nonconference matchup against Randall University.
The Builders (5-10) (0-5), while the Saints come to Winfield (5-14) (1-1).
Monday will mark the second meeting between the programs this season. Southwestern traveled to Moore, Oklahoma, on Sept. 8 and swept Randall, 25-20, 25-23, 26-24. The Builders produced one of their most efficient offensive performances of the season in that victory, finishing with 44 kills and hitting .253.
Southwestern enters Monday looking to rebound from a three-set road loss to Bethel on Saturday. The Builders have played three of their last four matches away from Stewart Fieldhouse and return home for the first time since defeating Cottey College in four sets Sept. 28.
Through 57 sets, Southwestern has recorded 605 kills and averages 10.61 per set. The Builders have totaled 557 assists, 112 service aces, 849 digs and 62 total blocks while hitting .131 as a team.
Charli Richardson leads Southwestern with 107 kills and averages 2.14 per set. Mikki Johnson has emerged as the team's most productive attacker on a per-set basis, recording 94 kills while averaging 2.85 per set and hitting .165.
Kamryn Deffebaugh has added 83 kills at 1.89 per set, while Haleigh Weber has contributed 63 kills and is hitting .200. Weber has also been a consistent presence at the net with 25 total blocks.
Natalie Blaufuss continues to play a key role in directing the Builders' offense. She leads Southwestern with 268 assists, averaging 4.70 per set, and has added a team-high 30 service aces. Blaufuss has also recorded 108 digs.
Brooklyn Milleson anchors the back-row defense with a team-high 222 digs and averages 3.89 per set. Ariel Heinrich has contributed 127 digs, while Richardson has added 98.
One of Southwestern's strengths has been its ability to apply pressure from the service line. The Builders average 1.96 aces per set and have five players with at least 11 aces. Creating difficult first contacts could be especially important Monday as Southwestern attempts to keep Randall from establishing its offense.
The Saints enter the matchup averaging 9.69 kills per set while hitting .109 as a team. Randall has recorded 591 kills, 534 assists, 113 service aces and 908 digs through 61 sets.
Kimberly Phelps leads the Randall attack with 173 kills and averages 2.84 per set. Phelps has also contributed 166 digs and 13 service aces, making her a factor in both the front and back rows.
Jordan Hardesty gives the Saints another offensive option with 136 kills and a .201 hitting percentage. Hardesty has also recorded 165 digs and leads Randall's blocking effort with 38 total blocks, including 17 solo blocks.
Briseida Acosta has contributed 85 kills and leads the Saints with 27 service aces, while Dalaney Uranga has added 78 kills and 26 total blocks.
Aubree Rutledge runs the Randall offense with 437 assists and averages 7.16 per set. She has also recorded a team-high 28 service aces and 135 digs.
Randall's playing style is built around Phelps and Hardesty as its primary attacking options, with Rutledge responsible for distributing the offense. The Saints also have several players capable of creating pressure from the service line, averaging 1.85 aces per set.
Defensively, Randall averages 14.89 digs per set, identical to Southwestern's season average. Acosta leads the Saints at 2.80 digs per set, followed closely by Hardesty at 2.75 and Phelps at 2.72.
For Southwestern, Monday's matchup provides an opportunity to rediscover the offensive efficiency it displayed in the first meeting. Richardson was particularly effective against Randall on Sept. 8, recording a match-high 15 kills on 26 attempts with only three errors for a .462 hitting percentage.
Weber added seven kills and hit .417 in the first matchup, while Deffebaugh finished with seven kills. Kadance Heumann distributed a team-high 23 assists, and Blaufuss added 10.
The Builders also used their serving and defense to create separation. Milleson finished with 11 digs and two service aces, while Heinrich and Olivia DeLeon recorded eight digs a piece. Southwestern finished the match with seven aces.
The second set proved to be Southwestern's strongest offensive frame in the first meeting, as the Builders recorded 17 kills with only four errors and hit .394. Randall responded by hitting .538 in the set, but Southwestern still found a way to secure the 25-23 victory before completing the sweep with a 26-24 win in the third.
Monday's rematch will feature two teams with similar defensive numbers but different offensive strengths. Southwestern will look to use its serving pressure and a balanced group of attackers to control the match, while Randall will look to establish Phelps and Hardesty and create opportunities through Rutledge.
For the Builders, returning home also provides an opportunity to reset following consecutive road losses and build on their previous success against the Saints.
First serve between Southwestern and Randall is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside Stewart Fieldhouse.
