-
- Height:
- 6-2
-
- Year:
- Sophomore
-
- Hometown:
- Bellbrook, Ohio
-
- High School:
- Bellbrook
-
- Position:
- Middle Hitter
-
- m
- 30
-
- k/s
- 2.49
-
- h %
- .303
-
- a/s
- 0.03
-
- b/s
- 0.64
-
- sa/s
- 0.32
-
- d/s
- 0.44
Bio
2021 Spring: Appeared in 16 matches and played in 57 total sets during the spring COVID season ... Ranked among the squad leaders with 37 total blocks and 124 kills.
2019: Played in 31 matches as a freshman for the Bulldogs ... Helped team to a sixth consecutive GLIAC Championship both during the regular-season & postseason ... Notched 192 kills with 79 blocks on the year ... Led the squad in total blocks and added 32 digs ... Prior To FSU: Talented prep standout at Bellbrook High School ... Played in the Southwestern Buckeye League ... Daughter of Van and Tracey Merkle ... Likes reading, hiking and swimming ... Plans to major in pre-osteopathic medicine ... Coached by Lynzee Allen ... Tallied 933 career kills with a .387 hitting figure, 172 blocks and 185 aces ... Chosen to play in the State of Ohio All-Star match ... All-Ohio honoree ... Named Southwest District Player of Year ... Two-Time all-district first team choice ... Two-Time conference player of the year ... Three-time all-league honoree ... Named Thad Camp State Farm Athlete of the Week ... Two-year team captain and MVP ... Led Bellbrook to four-straight conference titles and a ranking as high as #4 in the state this past year ... Team claimed district runner-up laurels ... Played club volleyball for the Elevation Volleyball Club.
Coach Brandel-Wilhelm on Merkle: "Kira is a long fluid athlete who works very hard. She is a dedicated team player and it shows every time she steps on the court. She is a strong blocker and a fast attacker. Additionally, she is also quick to do all the little things that make a great volleyball player – cover her teammates, close a tough block, transition quickly. Kira's determination will make her an impact player early in her career at Ferris State."
Player Profile
| Overall | Conf | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | 32 | 15 | ||
| Sets | 106 | 51 | ||
| Kills | 259 | 112 | ||
| Kills per set | 2.44 | 2.20 | ||
| Errors | 68 | 27 | ||
| Total Attacks | 635 | 244 | ||
| Hitting Percentage | .301 | .348 | ||
| Assists | 3 | 2 | ||
| Assists per set | 0.03 | 0.04 | ||
| Service Aces | 35 | 19 | ||
| Service Errors | 40 | 21 | ||
| Service Aces per set | 0.33 | 0.37 | ||
| Receptions | 3 | 2 | ||
| Reception Errors | 1 | 1 | ||
| Digs | 49 | 25 | ||
| Digs per set | 0.46 | 0.49 | ||
| Block Solo | 8 | 2 | ||
| Block Assist | 59 | 33 | ||
| Block Total | 67 | 35 | ||
| Blocks per set | 0.63 | 0.69 | ||
| Block Errors | 3 | 0 | ||
| Ball Handling Errors | 0 | 0 | ||
| Points | 331.5 | 149.5 | ||
| Points per set | 3.1 | 2.9 | ||
| Matches started | 26 | 14 | ||
| Date | Opponent | Score | ms | s | k | e | ta | pct | a | sa | se | r | re | digs | bs | ba | be | tot | bhe | pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21 | at Oakland | W, 3-1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sep 2 | Tiffin | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 15 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.5 |
| Sep 3 | Saint Leo | W, 3-1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 27 | .148 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11.5 |
| Sep 3 | Missouri-St. Louis | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 26 | .154 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9.0 |
| Sep 4 | Winona State (Minn.) | L, 3-1 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 3 | 41 | .293 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17.0 |
| Sep 9 | at Texas-Tyler | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Sep 10 | vs. Harding | W, 3-0 | - | 3 | 10 | 2 | 21 | .381 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 |
| Sep 10 | vs. Okla. Baptist | L, 3-0 | - | 3 | 8 | 2 | 17 | .353 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 |
| Sep 11 | vs. Southeastern Oklahoma | W, 3-1 | - | 2 | 8 | 1 | 18 | .389 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.5 |
| Sep 17 | at Northern Michigan | L, 3-1 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 22 | .500 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15.0 |
| Sep 19 | at Michigan Tech | L, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 16 | .438 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10.5 |
| Sep 23 | Grand Valley State | W, 3-2 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 24 | .292 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 15.5 |
| Sep 26 | Davenport | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 17 | .353 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10.0 |
| Oct 1 | Purdue Northwest | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 17 | .412 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14.0 |
| Oct 3 | Wisconsin-Parkside | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | .111 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5.5 |
| Oct 8 | at Saginaw Valley State | W, 3-0 | - | 3 | 5 | 3 | 15 | .133 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 |
| Oct 9 | at Wayne State | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 16 | .438 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8.5 |
| Oct 15 | vs. Lindenwood (Mo.) | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 20 | .250 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10.5 |
| Oct 15 | vs. Findlay | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 21 | .476 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10.5 |
| Oct 16 | vs. Missouri-St. Louis | W, 3-1 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 3 | 43 | .442 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 25.0 |
| Oct 20 | Kalamazoo | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 19 | .211 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12.5 |
| Oct 23 | Northwood | W, 3-1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 10 | .300 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9.0 |
| Oct 24 | Lake Superior State | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 16 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10.5 |
| Oct 26 | at Hillsdale | W, 3-0 | - | 3 | 6 | 2 | 18 | .222 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8.0 |
| Oct 29 | at Grand Valley State | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 21 | .381 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11.0 |
| Nov 5 | at Purdue Northwest | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 20 | .350 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13.5 |
| Nov 6 | at Wisconsin-Parkside | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 10 | .300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.5 |
| Nov 13 | at Davenport | W, 3-2 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 21 | .238 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11.5 |
| Nov 17 | Northern Michigan | W, 3-0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 15 | .133 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 |
| Nov 20 | vs. Wayne State | W, 3-1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 25 | .240 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 13.0 |
| Nov 21 | at Michigan Tech | W, 3-2 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 39 | .256 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17.0 |
| Dec 2 | Rockhurst (Mo.) | W, 3-2 | - | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1.000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 |
| Dec 3 | Missouri-St. Louis | W, 3-0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Dec 4 | Hillsdale | L, 3-1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| m | s | k | k/s | e | ta | pct | a | a/s | sa | sa/s | r | re | digs | d/s | bs | ba | tot | b/s | pts | pts/s | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 31 | 111 | 192 | 1.73 | 46 | 460 | .317 | 2 | 0.02 | 1 | 0.01 | 7 | 0 | 32 | 0.29 | 16 | 63 | 79 | 0.71 | 240.5 | 2.2 |
| 2020-21 | 16 | 57 | 124 | 2.18 | 51 | 371 | .197 | 1 | 0.02 | 0 | 0.00 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0.33 | 2 | 35 | 37 | 0.65 | 143.5 | 2.5 |
| 2021-22 | 30 | 99 | 247 | 2.49 | 65 | 600 | .303 | 3 | 0.03 | 32 | 0.32 | 3 | 1 | 44 | 0.44 | 7 | 56 | 63 | 0.64 | 314.0 | 3.2 |
| Total | 77 | 267 | 563 | 2.11 | 162 | 1431 | .280 | 6 | 0.02 | 33 | 0.12 | 12 | 1 | 95 | 0.36 | 25 | 154 | 179 | 0.67 | 698.0 | 2.6 |
| m | s | k | k/s | e | ta | pct | a | a/s | sa | sa/s | r | re | digs | d/s | bs | ba | tot | b/s | pts | pts/s | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | Total | 30 | 99 | 247 | 2.49 | 65 | 600 | .303 | 3 | 0.03 | 32 | 0.32 | 3 | 1 | 44 | 0.44 | 7 | 56 | 63 | 0.64 | 314.0 | 3.2 |
| Conference | 14 | 48 | 108 | 2.25 | 26 | 234 | .350 | 2 | 0.04 | 19 | 0.40 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 0.50 | 2 | 32 | 34 | 0.71 | 145.0 | 3.0 | |
| Exhibition | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Location | Home | 13 | 42 | 86 | 2.05 | 29 | 237 | .241 | 1 | 0.02 | 17 | 0.40 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0.26 | 2 | 32 | 34 | 0.81 | 121.0 | 2.9 |
| Away | 10 | 35 | 86 | 2.46 | 22 | 198 | .323 | 1 | 0.03 | 9 | 0.26 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0.63 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 0.54 | 105.5 | 3.0 | |
| Neutral | 7 | 22 | 75 | 3.41 | 14 | 165 | .370 | 1 | 0.05 | 6 | 0.27 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0.50 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0.45 | 87.5 | 4.0 | |
| Result | Wins | 26 | 85 | 202 | 2.38 | 56 | 504 | .290 | 3 | 0.04 | 31 | 0.36 | 3 | 1 | 42 | 0.49 | 5 | 49 | 54 | 0.64 | 262.5 | 3.1 |
| Losses | 4 | 14 | 45 | 3.21 | 9 | 96 | .375 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.07 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.14 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 0.64 | 51.5 | 3.7 | |
| Month | September | 11 | 37 | 100 | 2.70 | 28 | 244 | .295 | 1 | 0.03 | 5 | 0.14 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.11 | 4 | 23 | 27 | 0.73 | 120.5 | 3.3 |
| October | 12 | 38 | 101 | 2.66 | 23 | 225 | .347 | 2 | 0.05 | 17 | 0.45 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 0.58 | 1 | 24 | 25 | 0.66 | 131.0 | 3.4 | |
| November | 6 | 23 | 46 | 2.00 | 13 | 130 | .254 | 0 | 0.00 | 9 | 0.39 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 0.78 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 0.48 | 61.5 | 2.7 | |
| December | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 1 | -1.000 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 1.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.0 | 1.0 |