Midwestern State vs Oklahoma Christian
Saturday, Nov. 6 – 2 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum (Wichita Falls, Texas)
All-Time Series: UAFS leas 4-2
 
WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State (3-20, 1-14 LSC) and University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (12-13, 7-7 LSC) wrap up the Lone Star Conference weekend with a showdown at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The conference face-off is set for Saturday, Nov. 6 with first serve coming at 2 p.m.
 

FIVE STORY LINES

1 |  Lauryn Bourne keeps the swings coming as she sits eighth in the Lone Star Conference and paces the Mustangs with 688 attack attempts. Her average of 8.93 per set earns an 11th rank in the LSC. Bourne launched 54 attempts at Texas A&M International (9/17) for a season-high and her best performance in kills was in the first match of the season against Colorado Christian (9/03) with 19 put downs. The sophomore also tops MSU with 211 kills for a 2.71 average and 237.5 points for 3.04 per set. In 78 sets and 21 matches, Bourne accounted 17 assists and the second-most 14 service aces with three against No. 18 UT Tyler (10/09). On defense, the outside hitter is just behind Amy DeWalt with 239 digs for a 3.06 average. Bourne adds 17 block assists and four solo for 21 stops at the net. In the 2020 season, the Cypress, Texas native notched 148 kills for a 2.85 average and added 3.12 digs per set.
 
2 |  With the 11th highest assists in the Lone Star Conference, Autumn Roach has quite the hold in MSU's setting spot. The sophomore posts 418 helpers on the season with a LSC 13th ranked 5.36 average. Roach accumulated 10 matches with 20-plus assists in her 22 appearances. The setter collected a season-high 38 landed at Texas A&M International (9/17). In addition, Roach completed seven service aces with two at Texas A&M-Kingsville (9/18). In 2020, she collected 365 assists (5.14 set assists per set) along with 30 service aces. Regan Willms grabbed the most aces for the Mustangs with 21 on the season. The freshman posted five aces against Texas A&M International (9/17) and four versus Eastern New Mexico (9/10). Willms follows Roach with 309 assists and a 4.07 average.
 
3 |  Amy DeWalt possesses 318 of the team's 1,198 total passes on the year for 11th in the Lone Star Conference. The freshman leads the squad with 3.79 digs in 84 sets to rank 15th in the LSC. DeWalt completed 26 at Texas Woman's (10/02) and posted 25 in the following match against Texas A&M-Commerce (10/08). The team's best dig performance came at TWU with 103. The defensive specialist holds 71 assists (0.85 per set) and 6 service aces.
 
4 |  Lissette Lefforge continues her reign as MSU's top blocker in the 2021 season. She earned 56 blocks with 46 assists and 10 solo. The senior's 0.79 average ranks 22nd in the Lone Star Conference. Lefforge saw eight blocks against Seattle Pacific (9/04) as her best performance thus far. On the offensive side, the middle hitter ranks second on the team with 162 kills. Lefforge sees 2.28 kills and 2.93 points per set in 19 matches. She completed 21 kills against Texas Woman's (10/02) for a career-high. Lefforge adds 13 service aces, gaining three against Seattle Pacific. In 2020, the Otis, Colo. native had 162 kills and averaged 2.28 per set with 53 total blocks.

5 |  The Mustangs ride a 1-4match losing streak which dates back to a five-set win at Texas A&M International on Sept. 17. MSU also lost 13 consecutive in 2018, which is one match shy of the longest skid in program history set from Sept. 30-Nov. 3, 2000.


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). 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 LADY LIONS

With UAFS joining the Lone Star Conference in 2019, the move began the short series for the two teams. Midwestern State has two wins in the six match series, both taken in the 2020 season. The Mustangs boasted 3-2 wins over the Lady Lions in February and March of 2021. One of these wins was the first home clinch for MSU as UAFS has two victories at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.