VBall Bulldogs Test No. 1 Gators, Gamecocks On The Road

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State's Volleyball Bulldogs makes their third and final trip to the Eastern Time Zone this week when State (11-15, 3-12 SEC) visits Gainesville, Fla., and Columbia, S.C., for SEC matches against the top-ranked Florida Gators (22-1, 15-0 SEC) and the South Carolina Gamecocks (5-20, 2-13 SEC).

State takes on the streaking Gators in a rare Thursday night match at UF's O'Connell Center. First serve is set for 6 p.m. and the Veterans Day match will be televised live on FOX Sports Florida. Florida enters the week riding a 17-match winning streak that includes a 3-0 decision against State Oct. 10 at the Newell-Grissom Building.

The Bulldogs continue their final two-match road run of the campaign Saturday in Columbia with a 6 p.m. match against the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Bulldogs hold a one-game lead over USC in the SEC standings and are looking to avenge a closely-contested 3-2 loss to South Carolina in Starkville Oct. 8.

Junior Caitlin Rance of Kingwood, Texas, leads the Bulldogs heading into the final weeks of the season. Rance has totaled a career-best 329 kills, tied for third-most in the SEC, a 204 digs, second-most by a Bulldog this season. Senior middle blocker Ashley Newsome of Florence, Ala., now second on MSU's career solo blocks list, is nine total blocks away from climbing into second place in that category. She leads the SEC with 111 blocks and a 1.21 blocks per set average. 

The Bulldogs close out their 2010 home schedule next weekend. State hosts Georgia Nov. 19 in a 7 p.m. Senior Night match and then battles SEC West rival Auburn Nov. 21 at 1:30 p.m.