Midwestern State at Texas A&M International
Friday, Sept 17 – 6 p.m.
TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building (Laredo, Texas)
All-Time Series: MSU leads 5-2
Video | Live Stats
 
LAREDO, Texas -- Following their 2-1 finish at the Hampton Inn-Vitational, Midwestern State (2-6) starts Lone Star Conference play this week with an away match against Texas A&M International (0-7). The Mustangs kick off LSC play at 6 p.m. at the TAMIU Kinesiology and Convocation Building.

FIVE STORY LINES

1 | Lauryn Bourne tops the net for the Mustangs and leads in multiple categories. The outside hitter has tallied 91.5 total points on the season to average 3.16 per set, good for 20th in the Lone Star Conference. On the attack, Bourne recorded 2.86 kills per set, which lands her 16th in the conference. Her total 83 kills is ninth in the LSC with 19 coming in the first game of the season against Colorado Christian (9/3). On the defensive side, the sophomore is second on the team with 64 digs, tallying 12 against Colorado Christian (9/3), Seattle Pacific (9/4) and Colorado Mesa (9/10). In the 2020 season, Bourne notched 148 kills for a 2.85 average.

2 | Lissette Lefforge is the top blocker for Midwestern State in the 2021 season. The middle blocker has 26 total shutdowns on the year and her average of 0.90 per set is 13th best in the Lone Star Conference. Her best performance came against Seattle Pacific (9/4) when she registered eight blocks on the match. The senior has four games with four or more blocks. In addition, Lefforge averages 2.81 points per game, which is 32nd in the conference. Overall, she has notched 63 kills and a team high .222 attack percent. In 2020, Lefforge had 162 kills and averaged 2.28 pet set while gaining 0.75 average blocks.

3|  Autumn Roach leads MSU from the setter's spot so far this season. The sophomore collected 156 assists and averages a conference 16th best 5.38 per set. She registered a season-high 27 helpers against Eastern New Mexico (9/10). The setter has five matches in 2021 with 20 or more assists. Roach's best performance came in 2020 against Arkansas Fort Smith when she tallied 28 assists for the Mustangs.

4 | Midwestern State as a team sits ninth in the LSC in three different categories. MSU has collected 152 assists throughout the year with a season-high 55 against Colorado Christian (9/3). Kills has racked up to 146 for MSU with the highest coming against Colorado Christian (9/3) with 58. The Mustangs' total attacks for the year sits at 165 with 152 gathered at Southern Nazarene (9/7).

5 | Texas A&M International sits at 0-7 thus far in 2021 after competing in the Seawolf Invitational and Mountain Lion Invitational. In the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, the Dustdevils were picked 11th out of 18 teams. Mackenzie Catalina leads all hitters with 89 kills and an average of 3.71 pet set. The senior leads with 99.5 points, seven service aces and 78 digs for TAMIU. Maison Kosse has 204 assists to average 9.27 per set while Carly Unruh tallied 16 blocks and 0.70 per set.

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 23-51 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 DUSTDEVILS
Though Midwestern State and Texas A&M International are conference foes, the history between the two only began in 2007 where MSU overtook TAMIU 3-1 in Goodwell, Okla. From 2007 to 2013, the Mustangs recorded five straight wins over the Dustdevils. In the most recent last two meetings, Texas A&M International got the best of Midwestern State, including winning 3-1 in 2019 in Wichita Falls, Texas. In 2021, the teams played in the Angelo State Invitational on Feb. 27 and the Dustdevils defeated the Mustangs 3-1.