Midwestern State vs No. 18 UT Tyler
Saturday, Oct. 9 – 12 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum (Wichita Falls, Texas)
All-Time Series: MSU leads 2-0
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WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State (3-12, 1-6 LSC) looks to bounce back on Saturday, Oct. 9 as the team takes on No. 18 UT Tyler (11-0, 7-0 LSC). The breast cancer awareness showdown kicks off at noon in D.L Ligon Coliseum.

FIVE STORY LINES

1 |  Lauryn Bourne is the top for the Mustangs in multiple offensive categories while making a splash in the Lone Star Conference. She has a LSC fifth best 158 total kills, which sits at an average of 2.77 per set. The sophomore leads MSU with 176.5 points with a 3.10 average and is third in the conference with 522 total attacks. Bourne launched 54 attempts at Texas A&M International (9/17) for a season-high. Her best performance in kills was in the first match of the season against Colorado Christian (9/03) with 19 put downs. The outside hitter is second behind Amy DeWalt with 166 digs on the year and a 2.91 average per set. She adds 16 total blocks (three solo, 13 assists) to her 2021 stats. In the 2020 season, Bourne notched 148 kills for a 2.85 average and added 3.12 digs per set.

2 |  On the blocking front, Lissttee Lefforge heeds Midwestern State on the season. The senior's 47 total blocks earns fourth in the Lone Star Conference while her average of 0.82 is 14th. Lefforge saw eight shutdowns against Seattle Pacific (9/04) as her best performance thus far. The middle blocker is second on the squad with 132 kills and a 2.32 kills per set average from 337 attacks. Lefforge adds nine services aces to earn 169 points. In 2020, the Otis, Colo. native had 162 kills and averaged 2.28 pet set with 53 total block stops.

3|  With a Lone Star Conference eighth highest 309 assists on the year, Autumn Roach holds down Midwestern State's setting spot. The sophomore averages 5.42 helpers per set for the Mustangs and has nine matches with 20 or more assists. Her season-high 38 sets was gained in the five-set battle at Texas A&M International (9/17). In addition, the setter notched six service aces and 23 kills for 29 points. In the previous season, Roach collected 365 helpers (5.14 average) along with 30 service aces.

4 |  Regan Willms owns the top server title for the Mustangs in her freshman year. The setter has accumulated a Lone Star Conference sixth highest 17 aces to average 0.33 pet set, good for eighth in the conference. She landed five aces against Texas A&M International (9/17) and four versus Eastern New Mexico (9/10). Willms also amounted MSU's second highest assists number with 206 and an average of 3.96. In addition, she also has 79 digs and three kills on the year.

5 |  Midwestern State as a team sits in the top ten in the LSC in four different categories. Roach and Willms combine for 515 of the team's 621 helpers, which earn seventh in the Lone Star Conference. In 2020, MSU accounted 802 total assists. Midwestern State collected 671 team kills for a seventh ranking in the conference with the highest (68) coming against Texas A&M International (9/17). Another seventh sitting in the LSC for the Mustangs comes in their 2,025 attacks on the season. The match at Texas Woman's (10/02) saw the team gather 214 attempts. In the final category, DeWalt has 166 of MSU's 809 digs to earn tenth in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs registered 103 passes at Texas Woman's (10/02).


HEAD COACH VALERIE ARMSTRONG enters her fourth season at the helm of the Midwestern State volleyball program. In the shortened 2020 season, the team amounted a 10-7 overall record, the best winning percentage since 2008. Another feat from last year was the program's first Lone Star Conference postseason win that came against DBU (3/23). Over three season, Armstrong has obtained a 26-60 record. Before coming to Midwestern State in 2018, she had experience at all levels of collegiate volleyball. In Division I, Armstrong was assistant coach at Binghamton and Alabama State. She saw time as a head coach at two junior colleges including Vernon College and Colby Community College. Her first coaching job was the assistant at NAIA University of the Southwest in 2007 after graduating from Oklahoma Panhandle State. There she earned OPSU Female Athlete of the Year honors after leading the Aggies with 2.50 kills and 0.47 blocks per set as a senior in 2006.

SERIES WITH THE PATRIOTS
Still in its early stages, the series between Midwestern State and UT Tyler only started in 2019. MSU is 2-0 against UTT and owns a 1-0 record at D.L Ligon Coliseum. The Mustangs took both matches against the Patriots by a 3-1 score on Sept. 28 and 3-2 on Oct. 18. MSU looks to complete the conference trifecta on Saturday.