Midwestern State vs Colorado Christian
Oredigger Classic presented by Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott
Friday, Sept 3 – 2:30 p.m.
Lockridge Arena (Golden, Colo.)
All-Time Series: Colorado Christian leads 2-1
Video | Live Stats

Midwestern State vs No. 12 Colorado School of Mines
Oredigger Classic presented by Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott
Friday, Sept 3 – 7 p.m.
Lockridge Arena (Golden, Colo.)
All-Time Series: Colorado School of Mines leads 2-0
Video | Live Stats
 
GOLDEN, Colo. -- The Midwestern State Mustangs begin their 2021 season with a double header at the Oredigger Classic presented by Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott. The team takes on Colorado Christian first at 2:30 p.m. and moves on to Colorado School of Mines at 7 p.m. Both games will take place on the School of Mines campus at Lockridge Arena in Golden, Colorado.

SIX STORY LINES

1 | MSU is two for two in season openers in the last couple of years and looks to extend the streak to three. In 2020, they overtook Oklahoma Christian 3-1 and Western State (Colo.) by 3-2 in 2019. Prior to that the Mustangs fell in back to back first games in 2017 and 2018 to No. 23 Rockhurst (Mo.) and Oklahoma Baptist, respectively. Midwestern State last began their season at the Oredigger Classic in 2015 where they dropped their first match to Colorado Christian by 1-3. They then rebounded for the second game of the day against Pace University (N.Y.) in a 3-1 W.

2 |  Though Midwestern State had an impressive 2020 season, the one thing they really excelled at was service aces. The tough serving Mustang racked up 155 aces throughout 74 sets to average 2.09 per set. Their total aces secured the highest rank in NCAA Division II while aces per set topped at 16th. Autmn Roach led MSU with 30 aces on the year to earn first in the conference and eighth in the nation. Kaitlyn Masseth trailed only slightly with 28 to her name to earn second in the conference and 11th nationally.

3 | Senior middle blocker, Lissette Lefforge, led the offensive charge last season, totaling 211.5 points over the 17 game season. Also joining Lefforge on the All-LSC award list, Lauryn Bourne returns for her second season. The outside hitter collected 170 points to top the Mustangs in points per set with 3.27. Senior Taylor Anderson and Junior Kaitlynn Stoker recorded 20.7 and 1.79 kills per set from the outside. From the setting spot, the duo of Kaitlyn Masseth and Autumn Roach run it back for the 2021 season. Masseth concluded the previous season with 4.82 assists per set while Roach gained 5.14. Sophomore Alyssa Estrada-Hamby pairs with Lefforge in the middle blocking position to register 1.16 kills per set. Savanna Dodson and Savannah Jones both return from an injured 2020 season.

4 |  A mix of transfers and freshmen add to the nine returners to help propell the Mustangs to new heights. Kaycie Shannon, transfer from Ranger College, tallied a 2.30 kill per game average and totaled 28 blocks. West Valley College transfer, Hannah Moore, boasted a team-best 3.77 kills per set and recorded 46 service aces on the year. Freshmen defensive specialists Amy DeWalt, Madison Becker, and Delaney Torres add depth to the back line while Kelli Ell and Alex Serna add to the offensive threats.

5 | Colorado Christian was picked to finish sixth out of 15 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) preseason poll. The team has an inbound of freshmen with only three seniors and two juniors returning from the 2020 season. Last year, the Cougars went 5-13 overall and 5-8 in RMAC play. They lost in the first round of the postseason tournament to No. 3 MSU Denver. Breanna Allen led Colorado Christian in 2020 with 2.89 kills per set while freshman Izzy Jones will command the setting spot.

6 |  Midwestern State has another RMAC foe to face in No. Colorado School of Mines. The Mines won the 2020 RMAC Tournament and return 18 of 19 from that roster, including 14 letter winners. RMAC Setter of the Year Drew Stokes is in the mix with First-Team selections Elle Duis and Taylor Hicken. Stokes tallied 11.37 assists per set and Hicken led the Mines with 3.22 kills per set while Duis was first with 4.76 digs per set. In her 14th year, head coach Jamie Magalei adds five to this season's roster. For 2021, Colorado School of Mines was picked third in the RMAC preseason poll.

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. 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 COUGARS 
Midwestern State and Colorado Christian have faced just three times since 1990. The first series saw the Cougars take over in Abilene, Texas, by 3-2 in 1991. The Mustangs rebounded in 2006 in Lakewood, Colo., to win by 3-1. 2015 was the last meeting between the two teams when they battled in that year's Oredigger Classic in Golden, Colo. Unfortunately, MSU saw the underside of a 1-3 match. Overall, the Mustangs are 0-2 against the Cougars at neutral sites and will look to turn the tide in Friday's competition.

SERIES WITH THE MINES
Midwestern State and Colorado School of Mines have seen even less of each other as they've played twice in the last 20 years. The first meeting was in Edmond, Okla., where the Mines walked away with a 3-0 victory in 2001. The only other time these two teams competed against each other was in the 2015 Oredigger Classic in Golden, Colo. Acting as a home game for Colorado School of Mines, the No. 8 ranked team took home a 3-1 win over the Mustangs. This year the team is ranked at No. 12 so MSU will have their work cut out for them.