September 20, 2007
Contact: Evangel University Athletics 865-2815, Ext. 7282
After a 3-1 showing in the MidAmerica Nazarene Tournament on Sept. 24-15 and dropping a 3-0 decision at John Brown on Sept. 18, the Evangel volleyball team will return to Heart of America Athletic Conference action on Friday, Sept. 21. The Lady Crusaders will host William Jewell at 7 p.m. on the 21st in Ashcroft Center.
The Evangel women will stay at home for another conference match on Tuesday, Sept. 25. Benedictine will visit that day for a 7 p.m. match. The junior varsity squads for both teams will play at 5:30 p.m.
The Lady Crusaders lost 3-0 (21-30, 22-30, 28-30) at John Brown in Siloam Springs, Ark., on Sept. 18. The loss is one of only three in the last 13 contests. Jessica Smythe and Savannah Rose led EU’s offense with 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Skyler Warren tallied 19 assists and had 12 digs. Kristina Mooney led the team with 14 digs and Rachel Rees added 13.
In the MidAmerica Nazarene Tournament on Sept. 14-15, Evangel lost to Bethel (Ind.) 3-1 and then defeated Dana (Neb.) 3-1, Friends (Kans.) 3-0 and Ottawa (Kans.) 3-0. Julie O’Dell-Griffith led the EU ladies in the four matches with 57 kills and a 48.5 kill percentage. She also had 11 blocks. Savannah Rose added 32 kills. Skyler Warren was credited with 80 assists and Rachel Rees had 69. Rees served nine aces and Shannon Yates had eight. Kristina Mooney accumulated 83 digs to lead the defense.
Several players on the 2007 team are working their way up in the Evangel career record book.
Senior Kristina Mooney ranks No. 2 in successful serves (2118, needs 615 o break record), No. 2 in serves attempted (2173, needs 622 to break record) and is No. 3 in digs (1516).
Senior Shannon Yates is No. 5 in successful serves (1778), No. 5 in serves attempted (1955), No. 5 in aces (126), No. 13 in assists (559), and No. 5 in digs (1256). Yates is the 10th Lady Crusader to total 1,000 digs.
Junior Skyler Warren ranks No. 7 in sets attempted (6064) and No. 6 in assists (1786). She is No. 12 on the career digs list (907), No. 6 in successful serves (1713) and No. 6 in serves attempted (1800).
Senior Rachel Rees ranks No. 8 in sets attempted (5175) and No. 8 in assists (1506).
On the career kills list, senior Jennifer Magnuson is No. 16 (579). Junior Julie O’Dell-Griffith had 98 more kills in the Belhaven tourney to teach the 500-kill plateau. She ranks No. 16 (635).
Evangel leads the series 34-21-3, however, William Jewell has won the last two matches.
Mary Penrod begins her 8th year as Evangel’s head volleyball coach in 2007. Her teams have won 20 or more matches the past four seasons. The 2006 Evangel team received votes for a spot on the NAIA national poll for the first time ever and the 2005 squad qualified for the program’s first visit to the NAIA Region V tournament. Penrod is currently 153-110 overall at Evangel.