Volleyball Bulldogs Visit No. 11 Florida, LSU

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State closes out its eight-match October schedule with a pair of challenging road matches this weekend. The Bulldogs (4-16/0-11 SEC), eager to shake a run of 12 consecutive setbacks, take on 11th-ranked Florida (17-3, 11-0 SEC) in Gainesville Friday (6 p.m. CT) before traveling on to Baton Rouge for a Sunday (1 p.m. CT) match at LSU (9-12/5-7 SEC).

It's the second meeting of the season for State against both clubs. Florida topped State 3-0 (25-14, 25-9, 25-18) September 30 in Starkville while the seven-time defending SEC West champion Tigers erased a 2-1 MSU lead to win in five sets at the Newell-Grissom Building on September 28. In that marathon match MSU freshman libero Roxanne McVey broke the SEC digs record with a 50-dig performance.

McVey continues to lead the SEC with 388 digs and with an average of 5.46 digs per set ranks 20^th in the NCAA. The Magnolia, Texas, product has drawn starts at setter for State in three of the last four matches.

Freshman outside hitter Taylor Scott leads the Bulldogs with 205

The Gators, unbeaten in 11 SEC matches this fall, saw their league-best 14-match win streak snapped Wednesday night with a straight-sets non-conference loss at Florida State (25-23, 25-22, 25-21).

State will be making its third and final 2012 appearance in a televised match with Sunday's matinee competition at LSU. Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS) and New Orleans-based Cox Sports Television (CST) will televise the match live regionally, with Lyn Rollins and Missy Whittemore handling the broadcasting duties. The broadcast of the match will also be available online on ESPN3 http://es.pn/wvb-MSUvsLSU.

After playing six of their last eight matches on the road, the Bulldogs resume competition at home next weekend hosting Tennessee Nov. 2 (7 p.m. CDT) and Alabama Nov. 4 (1:30 p.m. CST).