FIRST SERVE
Midwestern State closes the regular season with a busy three-match slate. The Mustangs travel to take on Dallas Baptist Tuesday night before returning to D.L. Ligon Coliseum for a Senior Night tussle with Texas A&M-Kingsville Thursday night at 7 p.m. MSU returns to the road for its finale Saturday at Southwestern Oklahoma State.
 

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Midwestern State at Dallas Baptist
Tuesday, Nov. 12 | Burg Center
Dallas, Texas | 7 p.m.
Records: Midwestern State (15-11); Dallas Baptist (13-15)
Video: DBUPatriots.com  
Live Stats: DBUPatriots.com  
 
SCOUTING THE PATRIOTS
Dallas Baptist dropped a pair of matches to McMurry and St. Edward's last week to fall into a tie for fourth place in the Heartland Conference with a 10-6 league mark. Junior middle blocker Tiara Iwegbu ranks second in the Heartland and 93rd in NCAA Division II with 3.36 kills per set with a solid .250 attack percentage. Junior outside hitter Erika Papadeas (2.95 kps/.146) and sophomore outside hitter Tadam Mergener (2.27 kps/.159) give DBU a trio of attack options. Senior Tyler Bradsher (5.28 aps) and sophomore Kaycie Bird (5.02 aps) operate Dallas Baptist's 6-2 system helping the team to a .169 team attack percentage. The Patriots boast one of the best back lines in the nation popping up 20.46 digs per set paced by senior libero Cameron Hartson, who ranks third in NCAA II with 6.50 digs per set. Iwegbu also leads DBU at the net with 0.83 blocks per set.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Dallas Baptist meet for the 52nd time on the court Tuesday night at Burg Center. The Mustangs own a 34-17 overall edge in the series and are 11-8 against the Patriots in Dallas.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. DALLAS BAPTIST
Senior middle blocker Caitlin Wallace put down a career-high 20 kills with just four errors in 33 attempts (.485) but it wasn't enough to lead Midwestern State to victory as Dallas Baptist battled for a 25-22, 21-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-10 result Oct. 22 in Wichita Falls. Erika Papadeas (17), Tadam Mergener (15) and Tiara Iwegbu (12) all recorded double-figure kills to lead the Patriots. MSU sophomore Marissa Olivares notched her first collegiate double-double with 12 kills and 32 digs.
 

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Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
Thursday, Nov. 14 | D.L. Ligon Coliseum
Wichita Falls, Texas | 7 p.m.
Records: Midwestern State (15-11, 6-9); Texas A&M-Kingsville (14-17, 5-9)
Video: MSUMustangs.com  
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com  
 
SCOUTING THE JAVELINAS
Texas A&M-Kingsville has dropped its last four matches heading into the final weekend of play with matches at Midwestern State and Cameron. Junior outside hitter Kelsey Washington paces the Javelina attack with 2.89 kills per set while senior outside hitter Dedra Brown and junior middle blocker Stephanie Johns added 2.78 and 2.14 kills per set, respectively. Junior setter Sarah Fountain quarterbacks the offense to a .179 team attack percentage with 7.98 assists per set. Freshman defensive specialist Brittany Gutierrez paces back row play with 3.34 digs per set while Washington works for 3.30 dps of her own. Johns leads TAMUK at the net with 0.80 blocks per set.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Kingsville meet for the 25th time on the court Thursday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The Javelinas lead the overall series 14-10, but the Mustangs are 5-3 against TAMUK in Wichita Falls.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE
Senior middle blocker Caitlin Wallace dominated for 16 kills and five blocks to lead Midwestern State to a 17-25, 28-26, 25-21, 25-21 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Oct. 12 at Hampton Inn Court. Senior right-side hitter Marija Jovanovic added 10 kills while committing an error in 21 attacks (.429). Dedra Brown (13), Kelsey Washington (12) and Stephanie Johns (12) each notched double-figure kills for the Javelinas.
 

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Midwestern State at Southwestern Oklahoma
Saturday, Nov. 16 | Rankin Williams Fieldhouse
Weatherford, Okla. | 2 p.m.
Records: Midwestern State (15-11); Southwestern Oklahoma (11-19)
Video: SWOSUAthletics.com  
Live Stats: SWOSUAthletics.com 
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Southwestern Oklahoma State has two of its last three to move to 7-6 in Great American Conference play, but the Bulldogs are 4-13 in out of league matches this season. Freshman middle hitter Carly Zak and sophomore outside hitter Joey Collins give SWOSU a dynamic duo average 3.52 and 3.30 kills per set, respectively. Senior setter Breann Whitaker (7.44 aps) directs the Bulldogs to a .169 team attack percentage, while sophomore defensive specialist Kaila Lancaster leads back row efforts with 3.61 digs per set. Senior middle hitter Alison Cole is formidable at the net with 1.06 blocks per set.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Southwestern Oklahoma meet for the 11th time on the court Saturday afternoon at Rankin Fieldhouse. The Mustangs own a slim 6-4 overall margin in the series as the teams have split the four matches played in Weatherford.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
Senior Michelle Blount (12) and Caitlin Wallace (10) combined for 21 kills to lead Midwestern State to a 30-28, 25-16, 25-19 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State on Sep. 7 at the MSU/Hampton Inn-vitational. Wallace added five blocks at the net while junior Kaitlyn Molloy (19), junior Casey Fletcher (16) and freshman Sarah Rosinke (14) notched double-figure digs. SWOSU, which committed six block errors, was paced by Joey Collins and Alison Cole with 13 and 12 kills, respectively.
 

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ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State has won eight of its last 12 matches and is on the verge of fighting its way to the No. 5 seed in next week's LSC Postseason Tournament in Canyon.  If MSU defeats Texas A&M-Kingsville Thursday night and Tarleton State suffers defeats at A&M-Commerce and against Angelo State, the Mustangs would claim the No. 5 seed in next week's LSC Postseason Tournament by virtue of a season split with A&M-C. If the scenario plays out, the Lions would have swept the TexAnns. MSU and TSU split the season series as the first tie break then the tiebreakers moves on to performance in descending order in league play. Each of the top three teams -- West Texas A&M, Angelo State and Texas Woman's -- would have swept MSU and TSU leaving it to the performance against A&M-Commerce. Senior Caitlin Wallace paces the MSU attack with 2.59 kills per set, while sophomore Marissa Olivares (2.37 kps) and senior Beatriz Villalba (2.03 kps) also top an MSU offense deep in options. Freshman setter Sarah Rosinke (6.23 aps) is the Mustangs' top setter leading the team to a .169 attack percentage. Junior Casey Fletcher (3.99 dps) and redshirt-freshman Madelyn Johnson (3.27 dps) lead a back row unit which ranks 17th in NCAA Division II with 18.20 digs per set. Wallace (0.93 bps) and freshman Sarah Garfield (0.84 bps) lead MSU's improving effort at the net.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Seniors Beatriz Villalba and Michelle Blount as well as freshman Sarah Garfield put down 10 kills each to lead Midwestern State to a 25-12, 25-27, 25-9, 25-22 win over Cameron Saturday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Garfield also recorded five total blocks as the Mustangs notched 10.0 total team blocks bolstered by senior Caitlin Wallace 8-kill, 4-block effort. Grace Newkirk paced Cameron with 12 kills.
 
THE LSC RACE
West Texas A&M has clinched a Lone Star Conference title and remains perfect with a 14-0 mark, while Cameron is the lone team not to advance to next week's postseason tournament as the Aggies are 0-15. The Lady Buffs are followed by Angelo State (11-4), Texas Woman's (10-4), Texas A&M-Commerce (7-6), Tarleton State (7-7), MSU (6-9), Texas A&M-Kingsville (5-9) and Eastern New Mexico (4-10).
 
THREE...DOT...THOUGHTS...
Midwestern State claimed wins over Northwestern Oklahoma State and Cameron last week to improve to 15-11 on the season.... The Mustangs need one win over the final three matches of the regular season to clinch their first winning ledger since going 15-14 in 2010... MSU is currently sixth in the LSC with a 6-9 mark two games in the loss column behind Tarleton State for the No. 5 spot... Senior middle blocker Caitlin Wallace ranks second in the LSC and 52nd in NCAA Division II in hitting percentage (.332)... Wallace needs 13 kills to move past Geneva Hammond to move into 10th on MSU's all-time kills list and four solo blocks to move past Ashley Hester (43 solo blocks/1997-00)... Wallace rates second on the all-time blocks assist charge with 248 and needs five total blocks to move into third past Molly Truelove (292/1994-95, 97-98)... The Mustangs rank 17th in NCAA Division II in digs per set at 18.2 with five players averaging more than 2.00 digs per set including Casey Fletcher (3.99), Madelyn Johnson (3.27), Nicole Marzik (2.92), Kaitlyn Molloy (2.43) and Marissa Olivares (2.21)... Redshirt freshman Madelyn Johnson has recorded 10-or-more digs in seven consecutive matches including a pair 20-dig efforts... Senior outside hitter Beatriz Villalba has logged double-figure kills in three of her last four matches averaging 2.44 kps with a .233 attack percentage... Senior Michelle Blount notched her second double-figure kill performance of the season with 10 in a 3-1 win over Cameron on Saturday... Blount posted nine total blocks last week with a season-high six against Northwestern Oklahoma and four against  Cameron... Senior middle blocker Caitlin Wallace combined for nine total blocks in wins over Northwestern Oklahoma and Cameron last week... Freshman middle blocker Sarah Garfield posted her fourth double-figure kill match of the season with 10 kills against Cameron... Garfield posted multiple blocks in each of her last 14 outings including five in both matches last week against NWOSU and CU... Senior setter Marija Jovanovic posted her fifth double-double of the season with 42 assists and 11 digs against NWOSU... Junior middle blocker Kaitlyn Molloy notched her first double-double of the campaign with 10 kills and 14 digs at Northwestern Oklahoma...