Seniors Ting Liu and Brianne Boner try to block a spike sent by Washburn's Aubri Renshaw Friday night at White Auditorium. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

The Emporia State volleyball team lost a tough match against rivals and #4 ranked Washburn University in five sets on Friday 25-23, 13-25, 26-24, 20-25 and 7-15.

“When playing a team like this you need to consistently do your part, fight and bring force,” said Head Coach Bing Xu. “We traded off with strong and weak rotations. Overall we fought pretty hard.”

The Hornets won the first set by pure force of will. After the loss of key player Brittney Miller in the initial seconds of the first set to an injury, the Hornets stormed to take a lead that Washburn was unable to close.

“After (Miller) was down the players raised their level… without Brittney they have to do more and fight harder,” Xu said. “Not a lot of the game plan changed, we just moved people around a bit.”

The Hornet players also noticed the reaction the team needed after the injury.

“Our first reaction was panic, but we really came together as a team after that and pushed through it and were able to play as hard as we did,” said Sophomore Defensive Specialist Meg Schwartz. “I’m really proud of our team for doing that.”

The second set brought an early shift in momentum. After gaining a quick lead, Washburn left the Hornets reeling. Unable to rally for a comeback and struggling for points, the Hornets lost the second set.

Emporia State began the third set with an early deficit. Rallying, and not resigning themselves to another set loss, the Hornets fought back and won the set after a ten point deficit.

“We didn’t want to lose, having that motivation… trying to play our best and beat a great team,” said Senior Mid-Hitter Brianne Boner.

Going into the fourth set the Hornets had the momentum coming out cool and collected. Washburn built up another lead over the Hornets which they were unable to catch up to, losing the set.

Senior Brianne Boner is blocked by Washburn's Mollie Lacy Friday night at White Auditorium. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

“In the beginning, we’d get down and then we’d be fighting to catch up and that definitely hurt us,” Schwartz said. “We needed to come out from the beginning and get a lead in the beginning instead of trying to work our way back and win.”

Struggling through the tiebreaker the Hornets would go on to lose the game.

“This was everybody’s game and one of the main players down now we needed everyone to step up,” Xu said. “The whole team (came together well) I really liked what we put over there.”

The Hornets close out regular season play with a match against unranked Fort Hays State at home on Nov. 13th. Regionals begin Nov. 17th.

Chris Dvorak

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The Emporia State volleyball team concluded their two game home stand this weekend with another sweep against Northwest Missouri. The Hornets quickly jumped out to a 14-1 lead in the first set thanks to four kills by Brittney Miller who led all hitters with 16 kills on the night. ESU would go on to win the set 25-10. The second set proved much tougher as ESU had to battle back from an early deficit. The set ended with Emporia State winning 30-28 after battling through two set points. In the third ESU was able to continue the momentum from the first two sets and handily defeat Northwest Missouri 25-16. On the night, Brianne Boner recorded her 1,000^th career kill in the second set. The Hornets will travel to #7 Central Missouri on Wednesday for their next game.

Brandon Schneeberger

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The Emporia State volleyball team returned to William Allen White Auditorium this Friday to take on the Griffons of Missouri Western. Big plays down the stretched led ESU to a 3-0 sweep.

The Hornets got off to a good start in the first set with a 25-17 victory. Junior Jordan Lockwood and freshman Paige Vanderpool led the team in kills with five apiece. Lockwood set the tone for the Hornets as she opened up with three of the first six kills for the set.

“(Lockwood) is a good all around player. She plays very good back row. Defense wise she is doing very well. She brought a lot of energy out on the court,” said head coach Bing Xu.

Ting Liu followed up with an impressive performance dishing out 19 total assists in the set.

The second set would prove much tougher for the Hornets. After a back and forth battle in the first half of the set, ESU would lead 13-12. The Hornets would begin to spread the margin as they went on a 7-2 run to increase the margin to six points.

Missouri Western would not give up however as they narrowed the gap to three points at 22-19. Kills by Brittney Miller and Brianne Boner would eventually put the Griffons away as ESU won the set 25-19. Boner would also move up to second all-time in ESU history for career blocks in the second set.

“We have great chemistry and everything it’s just getting it all together on the floor sometimes. I think tonight it was just a good game to come out, get everything together and I think we did really well,” Boner said.

The Third set would prove even tougher for the Hornets as Missouri Western jumped out of the intermission to a quick 5-2 lead and would hold the lead at 15-14. ESU would battle back however, and finish off with a 6-0 run to win the set 25-19 thanks to four consecutive kills.

“I think we started a little bit slow,” Xu said. “We really need to put actual energy on the court, and after the big stretch there, finally they realize ‘Hey we need to finish this.’ We want to see more character like that, more attitude like that.”

In the third set Ting Liu would dish out 13 assists for the Hornets giving her 42 on the night. This total places her fourth all-time in the MIAA for assists.

The Hornets look to continue their success Saturday as they take on Northwest Missouri. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at White Auditorium.

Brandon Schneeberger

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Fall break proved an exciting week for Emporia Volleyball. The Hornets swept the volleyball athlete of the week honors. Ting Liu earned her fourth specialist of the week and Brittney Miller earned her first hitter of the week honor. On Tuesday, after some team communication errors, the Hornets continued the excitement and swept Southwest Baptist University, 25-20, 25-21, 25-19.

This Friday the Hornets faced off against conference rivals and #4 Washburn University. Losing their first two sets 20-25 and 18-25, the Hornets came back to win the next two 25-22 and 25-19. In the tie-breaker set, the Hornets fell to Washburn 11-15, ending their comeback.

Saturday brought better results with a sweep of Fort Hayes State University 25-15, 25-17, and 25-17. Miller, Paige Vanderpool and Brianne Boner all had nine kills, with Bonner picking up three blocks. Meg Schwartz had 11 digs and Jordan Lockwood had nine.

To top off all the week’s action the Hornets moved up in rank from #15 to #12. Washburn moved up to #2, and their next opponent, Truman State University, dropped down one spot to #11.

The Bulletin

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Emporia State played their second of a three game home stand this Saturday when they hosted the Lions of Missouri Southern. After falling in the second set, the Hornets battled back to defeat the Lions 3-1.

“After we go back to the locker room we talked about (how) we can’t stop their middle because the serve is not tough enough,” said head coach Bing Xu. “After we came back you can tell serving is all there, and we start blocking them, play defense, and the game starts changing a lot.”

The game started out rocky in the first set for the Hornets as attack errors plagued them early on. After beginning the set 6-6, the Hornets would begin to pull away going on a 15-8 run. Paige Vanderpool and Brittney Miller sparked the run with four kills each in the stretch.

The Lions fought back however scoring five straight points to close the gap to three. Two kills by Brianne Boner would help hold off the Lions, 25-20. Ting Liu led the way for the Hornets dialing up 15 assists.

Emporia State was unable to carry the momentum into the second set as Missouri Southern jumped out to a fast 9-5 lead. A 10-6 run out of a timeout and two key blocks by Miller and Boner brought the set to a tie at 15.

Missouri Southern would not be denied the set and closed it out on a 10-6 run to win 25-21.

“We didn’t come out that second set like we needed to,” said sophomore Meg Schwartz who earned player of the game. “We knew that they were going to come out and attack us, and we kind of fell back, so in the locker room we talked about it, and we needed to come out with lots of intensity, and that’s what we did. It ended well for us.”

Intensity was evident as the Hornets jumped out to an 11-7 lead in the third set. Emporia State increased the lead down the stretch eventually coming away with a 25-15 win off a kill by Katelyn Schmidtberger.

This time Emporia State was able to carry the momentum over to the fourth set as they opened up on the offensive 12-1. Seven kills – five by Miller – and two aces ignited the Hornets to the quick start. The Hornets would continue the pounding and win the match 25-9.

The Hornets wrap up their three game home stand this Tuesday as they take on Southwest Baptist. First serve is set for 7 p.m.

Brandon Schneeberger

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The Emporia State Hornets returned home to White Auditorium this Friday to take on the Gorillas of Pittsburg State. Senior Brittney Miller led the Hornets to a 3-0 sweep with 19 total kills.

“We were definitely excited to get a conference game under our belt again, definitely to get home. This crowd, this atmosphere, all the energy, it was great,” Miller said.

The first set saw the Hornets jump out to a quick lead. Miller led the early attack with the first three kills in the game. Miller would add two more kills and the Hornets would lead 15-6 early in the contest.

Pitt state rallied however scoring four straight points to close the gap to 15-10. Both teams fought back and forth until the Hornets eventually pulled away with a 25-18 win on a kill by Paige Vanderpool.

The second set saw the same storyline as ESU erupted for a quick 10-2 lead led by Miller with four kills. Pitt State would rally once again with six straight points however, cutting the lead to two.

“This game is a really kind of mental game,” said head coach Bing Xu. “No matter you’re leading or they’re leading, how awesome they play… you need to maintain your game. We talked before the game, nothing flashy. We want consistency – mental consistency.”

After a timeout, the Hornets regrouped and went on a 13-6 run led by Miller with four more kills giving her eight total in the set. Pitt State responded with a 4-1 run of their own, but would eventually be denied the set after a kill by Ting Liu ended the match 25-20.

Emporia State exercised their defensive skills in the third set as Pitt State took the initiative opening up an 8-7 lead. The Hornets would dig in and rally for a 15-5 run making the score 22-13. Key blocks by Ting Liu and Brianne Boner helped preserve the lead for the Hornets as they would go on to win the set 25-18.

For the Hornets, Liu led the way with 39 assists, and Meg Schwartz earned a career high with 26 digs. Miller earned player of the game.

“That’s the leadership we want to see from (Miller). Hopefully she keeps doing that. This is a great group, and when everything’s on we’re unstoppable,” Xu said.

The game was also Dig for the Cure night to raise awareness for breast cancer. The Hornets stay at home for their next game against Southern Missouri at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct 9.

Brandon Schneeberger

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The #15 Emporia State Volleyball team had an exciting tournament over the weekend at the Washburn University Crossover. On Oct. 1, the Hornets swept Angelo State University in their opening match 30-28, 25-18 and 25-13. Brittney Miller and Brianne Boner led the team in kills. Ting Liu also had an impressive day moving up to 10th all-time in the MIAA record books.

On day two, the Hornets lost to Abilene Christian University 3-1, but put up a good fight, falling 25-16, 20-25, 23-25, and 23-25. This broke the Hornets’ 54-match streak of wins against non-ranked teams. Standout Hornet performances were lead by Paige Vanderpool with a double-double consisting of 18 kills and 10 digs. Miller added 15 kills, and Liu had 48 assists in the match.

The Hornets ended the weekend on a high note, sweeping Dallas Baptist University; 25-19, 25-19, 25-9 wins. Vanderpool had another strong performance with 10 kills and six digs. Liu had 31 assists and a hitting average of .500 with seven kills. Miller also had ten kills and a high .444 hitting average.

The Hornets’ next appearance is at White Auditorium at 7 p.m. tomorrow against Pittsburg State University.

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Three ESU football players cited for marijuana use

Three ESU football players were cited for allegedly possessing marijuana in the North Twin Towers on Aug. 28. Miguel Johns, Jackson Bonnette, and Orelando Pratt Jr. were the three players. Johns was a freshman wide receiver from Newton. Both Bonnette and Pratt were freshman from Corpus Cristi, Tex. Bonnette was one of five quarterbacks on the team, and Pratt also played at the wide receiver position.

All three players were redshirted and had yet to see any game time action. Head Coach Garrin Higgins said the players are no longer with the team. The three have been issued misdemeanor tickets and are currently scheduled for a court date at 9 a.m. on Oct. 28.

Volleyball Sweeps Missouri Western, Northwest Missouri State

The Emporia State Volleyball team swept Missouri Western on Sept. 17. They won their three sets 25-10, 25-15, and 15-17. Strong serving by senior setter Ting Liu, including a seven point run in the first set, and five unanswered serves in the second set helped push the Hornets toward the sweep. Other notable Hornet performances were senior Brianne Bonner with 16 kills and six blocks. Fellow senior Brittney Miller had 12 kills and four blocks, and Meg Schwartz had 11 digs to fill out the Hornets’ defensive game.

In further volleyball action, the Hornets swept Northwest Missouri State on Sept. 18 with wins of 25-20, 25-20, and 26-24. Top player performances were by senior Brittney Miller with 13 kills and Brianne Boner with eight kills and three blocks. Playing a tough defensive game were Paige Vanderpool with nine digs and 12 kills, Katelyn Schmidtberger with 11 digs and Meg Schwartz with 10. Following the Hornets two weekend road sweeps they have now been bumped up to the 11th spot in the AVCA poll. Furthermore, Ting Liu has earned MIAA Specialist of the Week for the third straight week.

Cross Country Teams land top 10 finishes

The men’s and women’s cross-country teams traveled to Lincoln, Neb., this Saturday for the Woody Invitational, the team’s first big meet. Both teams were able to land top ten finishes as the men finished fifth out of 21 and the women seventh of 20.

Out of 295 runners, Asher Delmott led the Hornet men placing 36th overall followed by Will Hohmeier (47th) and Jacob Bull (56th). For the women Kathryn Davison led the way placing 61st overall. She was followed by Sydney Oltjen (66th), Courtney Maddux (74th) and Amy Feldkamp (79th).

The cross-country teams will travel to Hillsboro for the Tabor Invitational this Saturday.

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The Emporia State volleyball team handily swept Newman University 3-0 in their home opener on Tuesday, improving their season record to 4-1.Kellen Jenkins/The Bulletin

The Emporia State volleyball team handily swept Newman University 3-0 in their home opener on Tuesday, improving their season record to 4-1.

Senior right hitter Brittney Miller was the player of the game with 11 kills, and fellow senior middle hitter Brianne Boner also tied for total kills.

The Hornets won their first set 25-17, keeping the pressure on the NU the entire time, but making most of their errors fort the match.

“Every aspect of the game needs improvement, but its early in the season,” Miller said. “We know we’re going to improve.”

The second set proved more challenging, with a battle back and forth with NU, with the Hornets finishing the set with breathing space, 25-20. Communication and timidity were a slight issue during the second set.

In the third set the Hornets recovered their composure after the previous win and sealed the match against NU with very little resistance, 25-16. Consistency was key in this set as well as a much stronger defense.

“We have to play patient for a transition game,” said ESU Head Volleyball Coach Bing Xu. “Nothing flashy… have to keep up a solid defense. (The opposing team) can dig and block.”

Senior setter Ting Liu also showed an impressive amount of skill and team play in the match with 36 total assists, and also making two service aces.

Other impressive players for the night were sophomore defensive specialist, Meg Schwartz, with fourteen digs. KatelySchmidtberger, another sophomore, also had seven digs.

“(Schmidtberger) is a sophomore who is really starting to step up in the later game,” Xu Said. “Paige Vanderpool is the most consistent player on the floor. Jumping the high school court and playing this competition, she is playing very well.”

Miller also agrees with Xu that the entire line up is playing their parts in the wins. “Anyone in the front row can expect a kill from, or a point, or for good things to happen,” Miller said.

Ranked #13 in the preseason polls, the Hornets next action will be in Warrensburg this weekend at the Central Missouri Tournament. Miller believes the crowds were supportive at the game, despite the smaller numbers.

“(This was) great support for a home opener,” Miller said. “(I’m) looking forward to conference play.”

The next home match for ESU will be held in White Auditorium Sept. 14 when the Hornets take on Truman.

Chris Dvorak

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Sophomore guard Brittney Miller struggles against the CMU defense Saturday night in the second round of tournament play. The Hornets were not able to catch the Jennies and finished the game 74-79.

The Emporia State women’s basketball team couldn’t overcome a slow start against Central Missouri Saturday afternoon as the team lost to the Jennies, 74-79.

ESU Coach Brandon Schneider gave UCM guard Kara Fleming credit for their explosive first half.

“I thought Central Missouri was just really, really good in the first half, Kara Fleming in particular,” Schneider said. “Her stat sheet at halftime looked like an NBA line. She really did a great job of getting to the basket, creating plays for others and just being the heart and soul of their team.”

The Jennies were the first to score on a three-pointer from guard Brittney Slifer. Junior forward Alli Volkens scored four consecutive points for the Hornets to start the offensive barrage, the first two coming from the free throw line and the next two in the paint.

The Hornets went up by three at 12-9 thanks to a half hook shot from sophomore guard Brittney Miller with just over 15 minutes to play. The first timeout on the floor of the half stopped the action with the Hornets trailing Central Missouri 12-13 with 13:18 remaining in the half.

Right out of the timeout, freshman guard Rachel Hanf hit a three-pointer at the top of the key, giving the Hornets a 15-13 lead.

With 9:23 left in the half, the Hornets were up on the Jennies 22-20.

Senior guard Cassondra Boston goes for a lay up Saturday night at Kansas City.

Central Missouri used quick defense to go on a 10-2 run, putting the score at 30-22 in favor of UCM before Schneider called timeout with 7:41 left in the half. The Jennies continued their dominance, leading the Hornets by as much as 11 with 5:10 to play in the first half.

UCM called timeout after an ESU comeback effort set the score at 38-44, advantage Central Missouri.

The Hornets went into the locker room at halftime still trailing UCM, 41-50.

Emporia State started the second half on a 7-2 run, sparked by a big three-pointer from senior guard Lacy Corker. A Central Missouri timeout broke the action with the Hornets behind the Jennies 48-52 with 17:20 left in the contest.

The first media timeout of the half saw the Hornets still trailing UCM, 48-54, with 15:52 to play.

The Hornets battled back to cut the lead to one at 53-54, but a string of Jennies long shots put Emporia State back down by six, 53-60 with 11:59 left in the second half.

Thanks to a shot from behind the arc from Corker, the Hornets only trailed the Jennies by two, 60-62, with just over nine minutes remaining.

Senior forward Alli Volkens shoots over a Jennies' defender Saturday night in Kansas City.

Central Missouri used a quick spurt to get back up by eight points, 70-62, with 7:29 to play before Schneider called timeout. The final media timeout of the game saw Emporia State trailing Central Missouri 67-72 with 3:51 left in regulation.

The Hornets pulled within two of UCM’s lead at 71-73 with 1:28 remaining before Schneider called timeout to set up a play.

A traveling call on Volkens gave Central Missouri possession with under a minute to play.

In the end, the Hornets couldn’t overcome the deficit and fell to the Jennies, 74-79.

According to Corker, the team’s defense was a cause of concern throughout the game.

“Offensively, things were going fine now and then, but then once we would do good on offense, we’d come down on defense and they would come right back at us,” Corker said. “We didn’t get enough stops at the right time.”

Senior guard Cassondra Boston said that the team’s slow start led to the eventual loss.

Senior guard Lacy Corker works for a shot Saturday night in Kansas City.

“They just came out really hard and played really well,” Boston said. “We started off really slow, and at this time of the year we can’t keep starting off really slow like that.”

Boston led the Hornets in scoring with 22, while also adding five steals and four rebounds. Volkens chipped in 15 points and nine boards.

The loss marked the end of the road in the MIAA Tournament for the Hornets. The team will now wait to see where they are seeded for the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament.

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