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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern volleyball team opens up the 2009 campaign with their annual Missouri Southern Invitational to be played this Friday and Saturday, August 28-29 in both Young Gymnasium and the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. The Lions open up on day one of the tourney with Midwestern State at 4 pm and Missouri S&T at 7 pm. On day two, Southern finishes off the tournament with Southeastern Oklahoma State at 10 am and Harding at 4 pm. Each of the Lions' matches will be played in Leggett & Platt. Southern returns six starters from a season ago that saw a young Lions squad go 10-22 and finish eighth in the MIAA with a 5-15 league mark. The Lions were picked eighth in the MIAA preseason coaches poll. Back for the Lions are All-MIAA selections in senior libero Kari Hammerbacher and junior hitter Ashlee Russell. Both were an honorable mention pick last year. Southern also returns senior hitter Stefanie Williams, as well as juniors Amelia Judge, Brittany Vavao-Huggins and Jeanna Feldman to the lineup. Judge and Vavao-Huggins are will play the middle for the Lions, while Feldman patrols the outside. Sophomore setter Elin Skei split time with Sarah Joles last season and will enter the season as the starting setter for the Lions. Junior Cassie Prewitt and sophomore Maria Weller also return, as well as resdhirt freshman Amber Heiskel. The Lions bring in three freshmen and one junior college transfer. |