September 24, 2007
Contact: Evangel University Athletics 865-2815, Ext. 7282
The Lady Crusaders will host Benedictine College (Kans.) in a Heart of America Athletic Conference match on Tuesday, Sept. 25. The varsity match at 7 p.m. will be preceded by the junior varsity match at 5:30 in Ashcroft Center. The two teams met earlier this season. Benedictine defeated Evangel 3-1 in the preseason conference tournament on Aug. 24.
The Evangel volleyball team will travel to Oklahoma for matches on Sept. 28 and 29 in the Oklahoma City University/Southern Nazarene University Triangular.
On Sept. 28, EU will face Southwestern Assemblies of God University (Okla.). The match will be held at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Okla., and begins at 5 p.m. Evangel will then meet the host, Southern Nazarene, at 7 p.m. in SNU’s Sawyer Center.
On Sept. 29, Evangel will travel into Oklahoma City to play Oklahoma City University at 10 a.m. in Abe Lemons Arena. The Lady Crusaders will then return to Southern Nazarene and play Tabor College (Kans.) at 4 p.m. in Sawyer Center.
Evangel is currently 13-5 and 2-1 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Lady Crusaders have won 11 of their last 14 matches and four of the last five. Benedictine will bring an 11-6 record into the match. The Lady Ravens are 2-1 in conference play.
Southern Nazarene is currently 4-11. Oklahoma City is 20-3. Southwestern Assemblies of God has a 12-6 mark and Tabor is 8-6.
The Lady Crusaders picked up a five-game win at home against William Jewell on Sept. 21. William Jewell won the first game, 30-25, but EU responded by winning the next two games, 30-28, 30-24. William Jewell they evened the match score with a 30-27 win in game four. Game five was equally close, with the EU ladies winning 15-13.
Julie O’Dell-Griffith continued her torrid offensive pace with 20 kills and a 32.1 kill percentage and was equally strong on defense with her 13-block performance. Savannah Rose added 15 kills and five blocks. Kristina Mooney was credited with 30 digs. Shannon Yates had 21 digs and Skyler Warren picked up 20. Mooney made zero errors in 44 serve receptions and had just one miscue in 18 serve attempts. Players serving an ace were Rachel Rees, Yates and Warren.
Evangel leads the series 25-10. Benedictine, however, has won the last two matches, including an earlier contest this season. Benedictine defeated Evangel 3-1 on Aug. 24 at home in the preseason conference tournament. Evangel won the first game, 30-27, but Benedictine reeled off three straight, 30-24, 30-22, 30-23.
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 157-113 at Evangel.
Several players on the 2007 team are working their way up in the Evangel career record book.