COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.  Mountaineer volleyball heads into its second weekend of the season, traveling to the Mountain Lion Classic at University of Colorado Colorado Springs where three of the teams it faces will be first-time opponents, and the fourth is nationally ranked.

WESTERN COLORADO HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | 2023 Stats

• The Mountaineers posted a pair of wins during their four-match visit to Texas, opening the season with a 3-2 win over Eastern New Mexico on Day 1 of the Midwestern State Invitational, then beginning the second day with a 3-1 victory over West Alabama.
• Maggie Olson and Seyun Park earned all-tournament team recognition. Olson had 45 kills and 6 service aces over the four matches to lead Western in both categories, and Park led Western at the net with 6.0 blocks while adding 25 kills.
• Olson led the match and set a career mark with 15 kills in the win over West Alabama. She reached double-figures in three of the four matches.
• Nur Turkmengoglu set up Western's attack all weekend, collecting 123 assists (8.20/set). She led all setters in three of the four matches, including a 40-assist effort in the Eastern New Mexico match.

No. 10 NEBRASKA-KEARNEY HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | 2023 Stats

• The Lopers carry a 6-1 all-time record into Friday's match against Western Colorado. The Mountaineers' victory came in the 2008 season.
• Nebraska-Kearney has started the 2023 season unbeaten at 5-0, a perfect mark that includes a 3-0 sweep of fellow Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponent Westminster (Utah) University.
• The Lopers return many from a squad that finished 28-6 last season, played their way into the conference tournament championship game, and earned an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament.
• The team's kills leader, Emersen Cyza, from last season is back after posting a second-team All-American season in 2022. Also back with the program this fall are assist-leader Peyton Neff and digs leader Jensen Rowse.

SAINT MARTIN'S HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | 2023 Stats

• The Saints and Mountaineers will be facing off the first time in Friday's match. After starting the season with a pair of wins, Saint Martin's had dropped its last two matches.
• Saint Martin's posted a 13-15 overall record last season but were just 3-15 against its Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponents.
• Though the Saints lost their attack leader from last season, returner Jennifer Soha was next in line and averaged 1.97 kills per set. Soha is also the team's returning leader in blocks.
• Also back for the 2023 season is assists leader Karla Soto.

WESTERN OREGON HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | 2023 Stats

• The Wolves, 9-17 overall and 5-13 in the GNAC last season, will also be a first-time opponent for Western Colorado.
• Western Oregon's 2023 season has started 4-0 and they have dropped just one set in racing out to that perfect start.
• The attack brings it two leaders in kills from 2022 back for the 2023 campaign. Bailee Hartsook and Madison Hornback both eclipsed the 200-kills mark last fall and were 1 kill apart in their season totals.
• Hornback was second on the team last season in digs while returner Chloe Asciutto was second in blocks. However, the Wolves need to replace both of their top two assists leaders, positions that so far this season are being handled by Kealani Rosa and Laney O'Neil.

BEMIDJI STATE HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | 2023 Stats

• This will be the third team at the Invitational that the Mountaineers will face for the first time.
• After posting a 4-24 record last season, the Beavers are already halfway to the win total in 2023, winning their two most recent matches after dropping their opening two.
• Bemidji is sitting pretty in regard to returning players, who include the top two attackers in the lineup, Hallie Mertz and Lauren Sitter. The setters in its 6-2 rotation, Emily Wade and Hally Holker, are also back.
• Wade was second on the team in digs last season, eclipsed only by Mertz. The front row defense returns blocks leader Rylie Bjerklie.

UP NEXT FOR WESTERN
Western begins RMAC action with its next matches, hosting No. 14 Colorado Mesa University in the Mountaineers' home opener on Friday, Sept. 15, before squaring off with Westminster the next night.