With only two games remaining in the regular season, Jennies volleyball will be at home this weekend to honor two seniors and continue to make their case for an NCAA Tournament bid.
At 22-6, the No. 15 Jennies are coming off what was likely their most important win of the season in a straight sweep of No. 7 Washburn Saturday. It was just the second loss of the season for the Ichabods who had upended the then-higher ranked Jennies 3-1 Sept. 21 in Warrensburg.
That was such a fun game,” senior Kylie Hohlen said. “It was one of the best games I’ve played in here and it’s definitely something I’ll remember forever.”
The win is huge for the Jennies – winners of a season-high six straight matches – as they moved up four spots to fourth in the latest edition of the NCAA Central Region Poll.
“We’re starting to click really well, which is important at this point in the season,” senior Carly Offerdahl said.
Following the win over Washburn, the Jennies avoided disaster in a road matchup with Emporia State. The Jennies won the first two sets of the match but lost the next two, forcing a deciding fifth set. After falling behind early, the Jennies rallied with a 7-1 run and finished off the Hornets on a kill from Hohlen.
Hohlen has transitioned back to the offensive role she played her first two seasons with the Jennies following her first team All MIAA season at libero in 2017. She has already surpassed her season-high in kills with 339 to this point, good for second on the team, and is averaging over three per set.
Hohlen said she is just looking forward to celebrating her career as a Jennie on Senior Day.
“I’m just looking forward to playing with my team at home and celebrate the last four years here,” she said.
Senior Kylie Hohlen goes up for a kill in the Jennies 3-1 loss to Washburn Sept. 22 at the Multipurpose Building. Hohlen is second on the team in kills with 339 on the season.
Hohlen is one of two seniors that will be recognized on Senior Day Saturday along with Offerdahl. In three seasons with the Jennies, Offerdahl has averaged over three digs per set and has made the All MIAA team as an honorable mention.
“I’m excited for Saturday, it feels like it came really fast though,” Offerdahl said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting it come this fast so it’s a little bittersweet.”
The Jennies momentum going toward the postseason will have to withstand matches against Missouri Southern and Southwest Baptist. Southern is 3-23 and has lost four straight. In their last meeting, the Jennies won by way of a sweep. Southwest Baptist has run away with last place in the MIAA and is in the midst of a dismal 17-game losing streak that began nearly two months ago. Both teams have been eliminated from playing in the MIAA Championship that begins Tuesday.
At fifth place in the conference, the Jennies will likely begin the MIAA Championship on the road unless the teams above them lose games while they win out.
While the Jennies would prefer a home postseason match, there hasn’t been a discernible advantage in playing at home; they have a 9-2 record both at home and away this season.
Offerdahl said the Jennies are motivated to whether just as much on the road as they are at home
“Road games are definitely more challenging because you don’t have your crowd behind you,” she said. “They’re also pretty fun because we have people cheering against us and we want to prove that we’re better.”
The first match of the weekend against Missouri Southern is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Friday at the Multipurpose Building. Saturday will be Senior Day against Southwest Baptist. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Multipurpose Building.
