Midwestern State vs. Northwestern Oklahoma
Tuesday, Sept. 30 | 6 p.m.
Percefull Fieldhouse | Alva, Okla.
Records: Midwestern State (5-9); Northwestern Oklahoma (8-4)
Live Video: RideRangersRide.com 
Live Stats: RideRangersRide.com  
 
ON THE FLOOR
Midwestern State hits the road for the first of three matches this week taking on Northwestern Oklahoma State Tuesday night in Alva. The Mustangs continue on the road for another non-conference tilt Friday night at Lubbock Christian before returning to Ligon Coliseum to take on Lone Star Conference foe Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday.
 
SCOUTING THE RANGERS
- Provisional Great American Conference member Northwestern Oklahoma State is off to a 3-1 start in league play, but are ineligible to compete for a GAC volleyball championship this season.
- The Rangers have won four of their last five matches and are coming off of a weekend sweep of Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) and Henderson State on the road.
- NWOSU boasts one of the top defensive clubs in the Great American Conference limiting opponents to a .134 attack percentage.
- Sophomore outside hitter Asia Pipkin paces the NWOSU attack with 3.28 kills per set hitting .247, while junior outside hitter Ashanti Banks pitches in 2.91 kills per set.
- Sophomore middle blocker Elisa Bentsen is one of the top Rangers at the net with 0.83 blocks per set and gives NWOSU a third attack option with 2.28 kills per set.
- Junior setter Suka Tafao (2.78 dps), junior defensive specialist Alina Fierro (2.76 dps) and Pipkin (2.50) all average over two digs per set.
- Northwestern split its four matches at the MSU/Hampton Inn-vitational last month in Wichita Falls. The Rangers defeated Cameron and Molloy (N.Y.), dropped a five-set decision to Fort Lewis (Colo.) and were swept by then-No. 10 Washburn (Kan.).
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State meets Northwestern Oklahoma for the third time on the court Tuesday night in Alva. The Mustangs won the two previous meetings -- both played last season -- by scores of 3-0 in Wichita Falls and 3-1 in Alva.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- Midwestern State halted an eight-match skid with a five-set win over Cameron Friday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
- The eight-game losing streak was the longest since MSU dropped eight consecutive matches from Sept. 27-Oct. 11, 2002.
- The Mustangs have extended seven matches to a fifth set this season and have a 3-4 mark to show for it. The seven five-set matches are the most in the Lone Star Conference and are two more than any other team in the league.
- MSU ranks second in NCAA Division II in total team attacks (2,335) and is fifth in total team digs with 1,020.
- Senior libero Casey Fletcher (Eddy, Texas / Moody HS) ranks 14th in the nation and tops the Lone Star Conference with 5.80 digs per set.
- Sophomore middle blocker Sarah Garfield (Wichita Falls, Texas / Holliday HS) ranks 23rd nationally with 56.0 total blocks and is 113th in blocks per set with 0.95.
- Junior outside hitter Nicole Marzik (Prosper, Texas / Prosper HS (Fairfield)) is 17th in NCAA Division II with 561 total attacks.
- Redshirt-freshman Angel Summers (Hewitt, Texas, Midway HS) recorded 10-or-more total blocks in consecutive matches with 11 at Eastern New Mexico and 10 against Cameron.
- Summers set a school single-match record with 11 block assists Tuesday at Eastern New Mexico. The 11 total blocks were the most since Sesley Graves had the same number against Angelo State on Oct. 30, 2008.
- Summers joins former standout Jennifer Ladusau (1993, 1994) as the only players to notch 10-or-more total blocks twice in a single season in program history.
 
MUSTANGS UNDER VENERA FLORES-STAFFORD
- Venera Flores-Stafford is in her 11th season at the helm at MSU posting a 175-160 record (.522).
- The Mustangs are 69-79 (.466) in Lone Star Conference play during the Flores-Stafford era.
 
UP NEXT
- Midwestern State takes on Lubbock Christian Friday night at Rip Griffin Center before returning home for a Lone Star Conference match against Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday afternoon at Ligon Coliseum.