Volleyball Lions expecting to 'give a great show to Joplin'

Aug. 18—The Missouri Southern volleyball team begins its 2023 season with seven returning players — six of whom were starters last year — and 10 new recruits that coach Kalie Mader hopes will keep the Lions on an upward trajectory as they look to improve on last year's 13-17 overall mark.

Seniors Fernanda Canedo and Jaryn Benning, juniors Josey Goldberg and Amelia Neels, and sophomores Tori Hamilton and Hannah Allick are all returning starters for Mader.

"They are definitely going to see a lot of fire from us," Canedo said. "I think we have very competitive people. We go to all the balls; we don't believe the play ends even if the ball is shanked to the bleachers. We have the people that will go to the bleachers. I feel like we're going to give a great show to Joplin. We're trying to change this program and get more people here because we need the support. It matters to us — playing with our fans in our home — it just brings out the fire."

Canedo, a 5-foot-8 outside hitter, started 29 of 30 games for Southern last year and logged 387 kills. Benning, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, had 229 kills in her 22 starts. Goldberg, another outside hitter, had 33 kills in her five starts. Neels, a 6-foot middle blocker, started 30 games last year and recorded 20 solo and 75 assisted blocks while logging 284 kills. Hamilton, a defensive specialist, had 131 digs and 15 service aces in her 12 starts as a freshman libero. Allick, a setter, started 10 games for the Lions last year as a freshman and had 222 digs and 34 service aces.

Complementing the returners are 10 newcomers, including Division I transfer Kyla Randall from Oral Roberts University. As a freshman at ORU, the 5-foot-3 libero from Spokane, Washington, played in 28 matches, recording 135 digs and 16 aces.

Mader talked about landing the D-I player: "I think we got lucky. It was good timing, and we're in a location she was looking for, and she just fit. I don't know that I could do that twice."

Other newcomers are Laci Beougher, an outside hitter from Benton Kansas; Caelyn Hasegawa, a setter from Kahului, Hawaii; Alana Moesch, an outside hitter from Lajeado, Brazil; Paula Ramos, from Marbella, Spain, a junior transfer from Westcliff University; Sydney Unruh, a junior libero who transferred from Cowley County Community College; outside hitter Kirstyn Loyd, of Festus; Kyra Thomas, a middle blocker from Columbia; Landrey VanOverschelde, a setter from Jefferson City; and Hanna Lauterbach, a middle hitter from Morris, Illinois.

"Our incoming people have come in and adjusted well to our system and the way we play and what we believe in," Mader said. "I think part of that is that they already believed in what we believe in, so it's been a nice transition for them."

Mader talked about what the newcomers add.

"We're much taller," Mader said. "We added some size in Alana Moesch and Laci Beougher. I think those are two players who will see time on the floor this fall."

Mader also said she is pleased with the Lions defensive setup.

"I think our first contact is looking really good," she said.

Mader said her approach to this season is simple. "Never stop getting better. That's my game plan."

The Lions will tune up with three scrimmages — Drury on Saturday, Arkansas-Fort Smith on Aug. 24, and the Green and Gold on Aug. 29 — before their home opener, the Southern Invite on Sept. 1 and 2.

Mader said the scrimmages will be a good litmus test for her team.

"Our scrimmages are going to be tough," Mader said. "They are good Division II programs that are hopefully going to help us figure out where we need to get better."

The Lions will then travel to St. Augustine, Florida, for a tourney on Sept. 8-9 before going to Northwest Missouri on Sept. 15 for their MIAA opener.

"This is going to be a great year," Canedo said. "We have been working super hard, and we have some really good people on the team. We have some tall girls, which is something we were missing last year. We're in one of the toughest conferences in the country, so when we add those pieces into the puzzle, we're looking really good."

Canedo said the confidence level on this year's team is high.

"We're ready," Canedo said. "We've been working so hard the whole summer, and we are thrilled to start playing."

The Lions were picked to finish eighth this season in the MIAA preseason coaches poll, two spots up from last year's poll. Nebraska-Kearney led the polling with 92 points, followed by Northwest Missouri State (88) and Central Oklahoma (80).

Washburn was picked to finish third (77 points), Central Missouri was fourth (73 points) and Pittsburg State was sixth (53 points).

Missouri Western took the seventh spot (45 points), ahead of MSSU (35 points).

Fort Hays State was ninth (29 points), followed by Emporia State (19) and Newman (14).