State Completes September VB Slate Hosting LSU, No. 12 Florida
First serve is set for 7 p.m. for Friday's MSU-LSU match, designated as Military Appreciation Night, while Sunday's MSU-Florida Staff Appreciation Day match is set for a 12:30 p.m. start. There is no charge for admission to the matches and fans can view a free online video stream of the matches at www.hailstate.com/hstvlive.
The youthful Bulldogs, eager to snap a four-match losing skid and claim their first league win of the young campaign, are paced by sophomore middle blocker Lainey Wyman (Plainfield, Ill.) who has averaged 13.5 kills and 3.5 blocks with a team-best .345 attack percentage in her six matches played.
Bulldog freshmen are also blazing impressive trails in their initial collegiate seasons. Outside hitter Taylor Scott (Claremont, Calif.) and leads the team with 136 kills and ranks second defensively with 134 digs. Middle blocker Sarah Nielsen (Cypress, Texas) has also eclipsed the century mark in kills with 128, sports a .296 attack percentage and leads State with 29 blocks. Rookie libero Roxanne McVey (Magnolia, Texas) has garnered national attention, leading the SEC with 272 digs and the NCAA's third-best digs per set average, 6.04.
State is looking to snap a string of 12 consecutive series wins by LSU, which has won or shared the SEC Western Division title every season dating back to 2005.
Junior middle blocker Desiree Elliott (.290, 3.11 k/s) and senior outside hitter Madie Jones (.218/3.11 k/s) rates among the top offensive threats for LSU, while freshman Khourtni Fears (1.12 b/s) sparks the Tigers at the net.
Sunday's 12:30 p.m. match against the league-leading Gators marks the final match at the Newell-Grissom Building for the Bulldogs until November. MSU's lone home matches in October, against South Carolina Oct. 19 and Arkansas Oct. 21, have been moved to Humphrey Coliseum as part of special Homecoming weekend events scheduling on campus.
FRIDAY MATCH PROMOTIONS: National Anthem (performed by Jasmine Murray) ...
Military Appreciation Night ... Boutique Relay Challenge (courtside between 1st & 2nd sets) ... Dawg-Eat-Dawg Challenge (Air Force ROTC vs Army ROTC in VB match between 2nd & 3rd sets) ...
MSU students: Enter a drawing for a football sideline pass (MSU-Arkansas game) and swipe your student ID card for the Bulldog Coalition Promotion (receive one point for attending) ...
Aramark concessions special: Buy a $4 Polk's Sausage Dog & get a free 44-ounce popcorn.
