Midwestern State at #9 Angelo State
Friday, Sep. 20, 2013  |  7 p.m.
Junell Center | San Angelo, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (7-2, 0-1); Angelo State (6-2, 0-0)
 
Live Video: AngeloSports.com
Live Stats: AngeloSports.com
 
Midwestern State at Tarleton State
Saturday, Sep. 21, 2013 | 2 p.m.
Wisdom Gym South | Stephenville, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (7-2, 0-1); Tarleton State (5-4, 0-0)
 
Live Video: TarletonSports.com
Live Stats: TarletonSports.com
 
The Weekend
Midwestern State rolls out for its first Lone Star Conference road swing this weekend facing No. 9-ranked Angelo State Friday before taking on Tarleton State on Saturday. The Mustangs look to bounce back from a 3-0 LSC opening loss to No. 15 West Texas A&M Tuesday at home.
 
Scouting the 'Belles
Angelo State had its season opening six-match winning streak snapped with losses to NCAA Division II traditional powerhouses Saturday at the Colorado Premier Challenge in Denver. The 'Belles fell to No. 4 Concordia-St. Paul 3 and No. 14 Southwest Minnesota State both in four sets. ASU opened the season by sweeping four matches at the Angelo State Invitational before defeating No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney and Metro State (Colo.) on the opening day in Colorado. Key players for the 'Belles include senior MB Maddie Huth (3.11 kps, 1.11 bps), senior OH Leah McWilliams (2.73 kps, 2.54 dps), sophomore OH Arielle Bond (2.67 kps), freshman MB Courtney Bartusiak (2.12 kps, 0.72 bps), junior S Maggi Jo Keffury (10.77 aps, 2.23 dps, 0.50 bps) and junior DS Shelby Wilt (4.07 dps). Angelo State boasts a .216 team hitting percentage while limiting the opposition to .146. ASU is strong at the netting averaging 1.90 team blocks per set.
 
Scouting the TexAnns
Tarleton State carry a 5-4 mark into the start of Lone Star Conference play with losses coming to No. 6 Washburn (Kan.), No. 19 Colorado Mines, a one-loss Colorado Mesa squad and a 4-2 Arkansas-Fort Smith team. The TexAnns had a modest three-match winning streak snapped in a five-set defeat to Washburn then fell to Colorado Mines to close the Colorado Mines Tournament Saturday in Golden. TSU kicks off LSC play Friday night against Cameron. Key players for Tarleton State include senior OH Stacie Murray (3.42 kps, 0.67 bps), junior OH Kaitlyn White (2.84 kps, 2.94 dps), senior S Danielle Barker (10.18 aps) and senior DS Emily Klein (5.48 dps). The TexAnns have posted a .170 team attack percentage while limiting the opposition to a .156 team kill rate. TSU is strong defensively averaging 19 digs and 1.82 blocks per set.
 
Mustangs against Ranked Opposition
Midwestern State dropped its 12th-straight matched against teams ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches' Association Top 25. The Mustangs are 1-24 against nationally ranked opposition since the start of the 2004 season with the lone win coming in a 3-0 decision over Truman on Sep. 2, 2011.
 
Mustangs Off and Running
Midwestern State rolled to wins in seven of its first eight matches while claiming tournament titles at the MSU/Hampton Inn-vitational and Heartland/Lone Star Conference Challenge. The seven matches MSU's win total for the 2012 campaign and is the program's best start since rolling out to an 18-0 start in 2008.
 
Walloping Wallace
Senior middle blocker Caitlin Wallace leads the Lone Star Conference with a dazzling .419 attack percentage while averaging 3.10 kills per set to stand sixth in the league. The 6-footer from Amarillo has been the model of consistency notching 10-or-more kills in five matches with a season-best 18 against UT-Permian Basin on Sep. 13. Wallace has committed three-or-fewer attack errors in each of her last eight outings.
 
Molloy gets Defensive
Junior Kaitlyn Molloy ranks amongst LSC leaders with 0.93 blocks (9th) and 3.62 digs (8th) per set as a 5-8 6-rotation middle blocker. The transfer from North Idaho has 10-or-more digs in six matches and has multiple blocks in eight of nine outings.
 
Midwestern Show Diversity
The Mustangs boast four hitters averaging better than 2.00 kills per set including senior middle blocker Caitlin Wallace (3.10 kps), sophomore outside hitter Marissa Olivares (2.37 kps), senior outside hitter Beatriz Villalba (2.21 kps) and senior opposite hitter Michelle Blount (2.04 kps).
 
Looking Ahead
Midwestern State returns to D.L. Ligon Coliseum for a set of three Lone Star Conference matches under the dome. The Mustangs take on Eastern New Mexico on Tuesday (7 p.m.), Texas Woman's on Friday (7 p.m.) and Texas A&M-Commerce on Saturday (2 p.m.).