Midwestern State vs. Tarleton State
Friday, Sept. 12, 2014 | 5 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (4-1, 0-0); Tarleton State (5-1, 1-0)
Live Video: None
Live Stats: TarletonSports.com
 
Midwestern State vs. Angelo State
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014 | Noon
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (4-1, 0-0); Angelo State (4-1, 1-0)
Live Video: None
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com 
 
Midwestern State vs. Harding
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014 | 5:30 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (4-1); Harding (4-1)
Live Video: None
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com 
 
ON THE FLOOR
Midwestern State opens Lone Star Conference play at home against Tarleton State on Friday and Angelo State on Saturday before closing out the weekend with a non-conference tilt against Harding (Ark.).
 
SCOUTING THE TEXANNS
- Tarleton State (5-1) rides a three-match winning streak into Friday night's matches against Midwestern State and Harding (Ark.). Both games will be played at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- The TexAnns opened LSC play with a sweep of Texas A&M-Commerce Tuesday night in Stephenville.
- TSU played four consecutive five-set matches from Sept. 5-8 taking wins in three of them. The wins came against Western New Mexico, Arkansas-Monticello and Texas Wesleyan. The loss came against Missouri Southern.
- Freshman outside hitter Hailey Roberts ranks second in the Lone Star Conference putting down 4.19 kills per set. She is one of three TexAnns averaging more than two kills per set joining senior outside hitter Kaitlyn White (2.19) and junior middle blocker Kenya Alexander (2.04).
- Alexander and junior middle blocker Meg Umbel lead TSU's strong play at the net with 1.59 and 1.33 blocks per set, respectively.
- Senior outside hitter Katie Covell rates second in the LSC with 5.30 digs per set.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Tarleton State meet for the 47th time on the court Friday afternoon at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- The series is tied 23-23.
- The teams split matches last season with the TexAnns claiming a 3-0 sweep in Stephenville before the Mustangs rallied from two sets down for the win in Wichita Falls.
- MSU is 13-7 all time against the TexAnns at Ligon Coliseum.
 
SCOUTING THE RAMBELLES
- Angelo State (4-1) rides a three-match winning streak into this weekend's play after opening LSC play with a 3-1 win over Texas Woman's on Tuesday.
- The Rambelles went 3-1 in the season opening ASU Kathleen Brasfield Invitational taking wins over Missouri Southern, Arkansas-Monticello and Western New Mexico while losing in five sets to Arkansas-Fort Smith.
- Angelo State carries a No. 25 AVCA national ranking into this weekend's play. The Rambelles were 19th in the organization's preseason poll.
- Sophomore outside hitter Mallory Blauser, who transferred from D1 Cincinnati,  ranks third in the Lone Star Conference with 4.15 kills per set, but receives plenty of support from junior outside hitter Arielle Bond (2.83 kps) and freshman right-side hitter Abbie Lynn (2.76 kps).
- Alexa Johnson, a sophomore transfer from Lamar,  tops the league with 11.15 assists per set while directing the ASU attack to a .180 team hitting percentage.
- Senior libero Shelby Wilt heads the LSC's top back row (21.20 team digs per set) and ranks third individually in the LSC at 4.95 digs per set while freshman Kelly Hasbrouck chips in 3.82 digs per set.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Angelo State meet for the 35th time on the court Saturday afternoon at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- The Rambelles lead the series 23-11.
- ASU has won the last 10 meetings between the programs.
- Midwestern State's last win came in five sets on Oct. 30, 2008 in Wichita Falls.
 
SCOUTING THE BISONS
- Harding (4-1) opened Great American Conference play with a sweep at Arkansas-Monticello Tuesday night.
- The Bisons took three of four matches at the Christian Brothers Invitational last weekend in Memphis. Harding claimed opening day wins over Lindenwood (Mo.) and Alderson-Broaddus (W. Va.) before splitting second day play with a loss to Drury (Mo.) and win in straight sets over the hosting Lady Bucs.
- Senior middle blocker Liv Savage garnered GAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after totaling at least three blocks in each of the matches at the Christian Brothers Invitational.
- Harding boasts a trio of player averaging better then two kills per set including senior outside hitter Marindia Turner (2.88), Savage (2.82) and junior outside hitter Erica Heim (2.47).
- Senior setter Taryn Eubank averages 10.29 assists per set while directing the Bisons to a .215 team attack percentage.
- Heim and sophomore Anna Leigh Cargile pace back row play with 3.88 and 3.24 digs per set, respectively.
- Of the 14 players on the Harding roster, 10 hail from the State of Texas, two from California, one from Missouri and another from Arkansas.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State and Harding meet for the sixth time on the court Saturday afternoon at Ligon Coliseum.
- Harding owns a 4-1 edge in the series.
- Friday afternoon's matchup will be the first between the teams played in Wichita Falls.
- The Mustangs and Bisons meet for the first time since HU to a 3-1 win over MSU in the Missouri Southern Invitational on Aug. 28, 2009.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern State fought off a match point and rallied for a 3-2 win Tuesday night at Dallas Baptist.
- The Mustangs are 4-1 for the second consecutive season. MSU rattled off a 7-1 start before suffering six straight losses.
- The middle blocker combination of senior Kat Molloy and sophomore Sarah Garfield earned all-tournament honors at last weekend's MSU/Hampton Inn-vitational.
- Senior libero Casey Fletcher is the reigning LSC Defensive Player of the Week. She leads the conference with 6.64 digs per set.
- Redshirt-freshman Angel Summers keyed the comeback against Dallas Baptist by putting down seven kills without an error over the final three sets.
- Sophomore setter Sarah Rosinke paces the attack with 9.55 assists per set helping the Mustangs to a .195 team attack percentage.
- Junior Nicole Marzik and sophomore Madelyn Johnson add to MSU's strong back row play averaging 3.74 and 3.09 digs per set, respectively.
 
MUSTANGS UNDER VENERA FLORES-STAFFORD
- Venera Flores-Stafford is in her 11th season at the helm at MSU posting a 174-152 record (.534).
- The Mustangs are 68-74 (.479) in Lone Star Conference play during the Flores-Stafford era.