WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern College volleyball returns to Stewart Field House on Saturday, Sept. 26, for a KCAC matchup against Sterling College.
Southwestern (4-7) (0-2), while Sterling (9-1) (0-1).
Southwestern has totaled 463 kills through 44 sets this season, averaging 10.52 kills per set while hitting .138 as a team. The Builders have also recorded 429 assists, 94 service aces, 674 digs and 46 total blocks.
Kamryn Deffebaugh leads Southwestern with 79 kills, while Charli Richardson follows with 72. Macey Collier has been one of the Builders' most efficient attackers, recording 75 kills with a .262 hitting percentage while also leading the team with 25 total blocks.
Mikki Johnson has provided another strong offensive option with 53 kills in 20 sets, averaging a team-high 2.65 kills per set. Natalie Blaufuss has directed much of the offense with 201 assists and has also been a factor from the service line with a team-high 25 aces.
Defensively, Brooklyn Milleson leads Southwestern with 180 digs and averages 4.09 digs per set. Ariel Heinrich has added 106 digs, while Blaufuss has contributed 87.
Southwestern's strength has come from its ability to generate pressure from the service line and spread its offense among several attackers. The Builders are averaging 2.14 aces per set, and their balanced offensive production gives them multiple options at the net. Limiting errors will be important against a Sterling team that has been efficient offensively.
Sterling enters the weekend hitting .237 as a team with 367 kills in 31 sets, an average of 11.84 kills per set. The Warriors have held opponents to a .060 hitting percentage and have recorded 76 total blocks compared with 27 by their opponents.
Aliya McClanahan has been one of Sterling's top offensive threats with 67 kills and a .369 hitting percentage. Abigail Howard is averaging 2.73 kills per set, while Chloe Schmidt has recorded 56 kills and is hitting .375.
Keala Wilson Brown has played a key role in Sterling's offense, recording 53 kills while also leading the team with 157 assists. Grace Battershell has added 126 assists, giving the Warriors multiple options in their setting rotation.
Sterling has also been strong defensively at the net. McClanahan leads the Warriors with 40 total blocks, while Schmidt has added 29. Taylor "Dru" Lindsey has anchored the back row with 114 digs, averaging 4.07 per set.
The Warriors' early-season success has been built around offensive efficiency and strong net defense. Sterling's .237 team hitting percentage and ability to limit opponents to a .060 mark show a team that has been effective at both finishing attacks and disrupting opposing offenses.
The two programs last met Sept. 27, 2025, when Southwestern swept Sterling in three sets, 25-19, 25-22, 25-23. Macey Collier finished with 10 kills on a .643 hitting percentage. Johnson added nine kills, and Blaufuss recorded 20 assists and two service aces.
Sterling was led by McClanahan with 11 kills and a .556 hitting percentage in the previous meeting, while Schmidt added seven kills and four total blocks.
Saturday's matchup will feature two teams looking for their first KCAC victory of the season. Southwestern will look to use its serving pressure, defensive play and balanced attack to challenge a Sterling team that has opened the season with strong offensive efficiency and blocking production.
First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Stewart Field House.
