Service! The 2018 Missouri Southern volleyball season is underway. The Lions will be playing host to Missouri S&T next Tuesday, September 4, in the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

The Lions will be heading into their fifth match of the season on Tuesday next week. With a full week, and then some, to prepare for Missouri S&T, the Lions hope to turn things around after a tough weekend trip to Warrensburg, MO.

They will be returning many experienced players from last year’s 11-20 season, which was their best season since the 2010 campaign.

Morgan Nash, will be returning this year, the starting setter from last season, as a freshman. Alicia Pickett, a junior who has started in 55 of 62 matches since her freshman year.

Pickett also ranked second in the MIAA last year in total blocks and sixth in the nation.

Kat Gries, another junior, will return this year. Gries led the team in digs and service aces her freshman year before being replaced at libero by Teryn Scott last season.

Mikayla Monk, yet another experienced junior, will be returning to the outside positions for the Lions this year.

Monk started in 40 of the 58 matches she played in during her first two seasons as a Lion. Despite being a sophomore, Janelle Brehm got plenty of experience last year as a freshman.

Brehm started in 27 of 31 matches for the Lions during her freshman campaign, she was also an honorable mention All-MIAA selection, and ranked second in the conference in attacks per set and total attacks.

Bridgette Jaeger will return to action this year after sitting out last season due to a medical redshirt. Jaeger was a top offensive threat during her freshman year, and missed some games her sophomore year due to her injury.

The Lions will be bringing in six new freshmen to the roster as well as one junior transfer. Shaylon Sharp leads the way for all incoming freshman, Sharp recorded a match-high 12 kills last weekend against Truman State.

Freshman, Lydia Wiegand also had a match-high 18 digs in the same match and has played in every match so far this season as well as fellow freshman, Sharp.

Junior transfer, Kylee Kaaihue, comes to Southern from Blinn College. Kaaihue earned 10 digs during the final match of the weekend against fourth ranked Florida Southern.

The Lions were handed four losses last weekend and were unable to come away with a victory. In fact, their only set win was in the final match against the No. 4 Mocs. The Lions went 1-12 in total sets last weekend.