MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MATCHDAY - FEBRUARY 19-20, 2021
MUSTANG VOLLEYBALL It’s the second of three consecutive home weekends for Morningside College. Head coach Theison Anderson’s Mustangs welcome fellow Great Plains Athletic Conference members Ottawa University of Kansas, University of Jamestown, and Dordt University to Allee Gymnasium and the Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center. Mside clashes with the Braves of Ottawa Friday and hosts the inaugural GPAC Classic Saturday. Saturday’s schedule is as follows – Court One – 10 a.m. – Dordt vs. Morningside/1 p.m. – Morningside vs. Jamestown; Court Two – 10 a.m. – Ottawa vs. Jamestown/1 p.m. – Dordt vs. Ottawa. Morningside looks to reverse early season fortunes. Anderson’s crew dropped three contests Feb. 12 and 13, falling to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ No. 7-ranked Jimmies and Dordt in three sets and battling Viterbo University to a four-set finish. Despite the tough-luck team results, four Maroon student-athletes are ranked among the league’s statistical top five. Senior setter Kyle Cox sits fourth in assists per set (5.2), junior middle hitter Tyler Godown is fifth-best in blocks per set (.8), and the sophomore tandem of defensive specialist Jonah Mika and Kahakai Kahoiwai is tied for fourth in digs (2.1 ps). The Mustangs’ best team ranking is third in digs (8.5 ps). Those digits also play well on the national number landscape, as Godown and Cox are each in the first 40 for their blocks and assists per set averages, and the team is part of the top 30 in blocks (No. 24 – 1.6 ps) and digs (No. 28). Anderson’s squad concludes its weekend homestand run Friday, Feb. 26. They take on Lincoln College and Judson University of Illinois of the Chicagoland College Athletic Conference. The action begins at 2 p.m. and runs through the early evening.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION Junior outside hitter Ashan Jordan has proven formidable for opposing defenses. He leads Ottawa University’s front-line attack, averaging nearly five kills (4.6) per set. That ranks him among the top 10 nationally. Sophomore setter/outside hitter Tyler Gardenhire guides the Braves’ defense, averaging 2.65 digs per set. Head coach Luke Pope’s team sports a 3-2 overall and 1-1 conference mark. Head coach Riley Salmon’s Jimmies of the University of Jamestown leads the GPAC at 4-1 overall and 2-0 in league play. UJ had a prolific offensive attack through five contests, as their .348 team attack percentage was third nationally and led by the freshman duo of Derek Owens and Tanner Woods. Owens’ stratospheric .533 effort ranked fourth, and Woods’