Sept. 3, 2014
Western Kentucky - Fri., Sept. 5, 7 p.m.
Incarnate Word - Sat., Sept. 6, 12:30 p.m.
Milwaukee - Sat., Sept. 6, 7 p.m.
Site: Hammons Student Center
Location: Springfield, Mo.
TV: Thursday's match on MC22
Live Stats: | | |
Missouri State makes its home debut this week with four matches at Hammons Student Center during the University Plaza/Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational. MSU welcomes Oral Roberts, Western Kentucky, Incarnate Word and Wisconsin-Milwaukee for the 10-match event, playing ORU at 7 p.m. Thursday, WKU at 7 p.m. Friday, Incarnate Word at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and Milwaukee at 7 p.m. Saturday. Thursday's match will be televised live locally on Mediacom 22.
Weekend Events
It will be a busy weekend aside from the volleyball at Missouri State, as Friday is the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Academic Achievement Center Dedication and Legacy Celebration, beginning with an open house at Forsythe Athletics Center at 3:30 p.m., ribbon cutting at 4:30 and dinner at 5.
That night, between the second and third sets of the Bears' match with Western Kentucky, MSU will retire a jersey in honor of long-time coach Linda Dollar. Dollar coached the Bears from 1972-95, winning 758 career matches and leading the school to 13 national postseason tournaments. She was the first volleyball coach to reach 700 career wins.
The Opponents
Oral Roberts is 2-1 with wins over Pepperdine and South Alabama and a loss to Nevada. The Golden Eagles are picked to finish fifth in the Summit League this year, and boast reigning league player of the week Laura Milos, who averaged 5.73 kills per set and hit .324 during the first weekend of play.
Western Kentucky is 2-2 on the year with wins over Belmont and UC Riverside. The Lady Toppers are picked to finish second in Conference USA this year after going 27-6 a season ago, and boast preseason C-USA Player of the Year Noelle Langenkamp, who averaged 2.96 kills per set and hit .411 last year.
Incarnate Word is picked to finish seventh in the Southland Conference this year and opened its season with losses to UT Arlington and Denver and a win against Jackson State. The Cardinals hit .120 as a team and average 11.00 kills, 14.90 digs, 1.40 blocks and 0.90 aces per set.
Milwaukee is 3-0 on the season with wins over Robert Morris, North Dakota State and Miami (Ohio). The Panthers are picked to repeat as Horizon League champions this year after advancing to the NCAA Tournament in 2013. Senior outside hitter Julie Kolinske averaged 4.73 kills per set on .408 hitting during the season's opening weekend.
The Series
Missouri State is 26-9 all-time against Oral Roberts and has won the last three meetings. The Bears took the last meeting in five sets at Hammons Student Center in 2012.
The Wynn Invitational will mark the first volleyball meeting between MSU and Western Kentucky, Incarnate Word and Milwaukee.
