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Opponents:
Arkansas State, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 7 p.m.
Western Kentucky, Friday, Sept. 11, 1 p.m.
Northwestern, Saturday, Sept. 12, 1:30 p.m.
Middle Tennessee, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2 p.m.
Locations:
Wednesday - Springfield, Mo.
Fri.-Sat. - Bowling Green, Ky.
Sunday - Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Live Stats: ASU | WKU | | MTSU
Live Video: ESPN3 (Wednesday) | Western Kentucky

Missouri State (5-1) opens a busy week on Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Arkansas State at Hammons Student Center, and will have played four matches in three states by Sunday. MSU starts its weekend road trip in Bowling Green, Ky., for matches against Western Kentucky at 1 p.m. Friday and Northwestern at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, before concluding the trip with a 2 p.m. Sunday match at Middle Tennessee.

The Opponents
Arkansas State is 5-1 on the year with its only loss coming in five sets against Missouri. The Red Wolves are picked to finish third in the Sun Belt Conference this season, and junior Markie Schaedig is the preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Schaedig averages 5.48 digs per set, and Darby Graff leads the ASU offense with 3.52 kills per set on a .394 hitting percentage. As a team, ASU hits .257 compared to .179 for opponents and averages 14.19 kills, 16.95 digs, 2.29 blocks and 0.90 aces.
Western Kentucky is 5-1 and sits one spot outside the AVCA Top 25 this week. The Lady Toppers are expected to repeat at Conference USA champs in 2015, and have five players averaging at least 1.85 kills per set so far this season. WKU hits .257 as a team and limits opponents to .149 while averaging 14.05 kills, 18.25 digs, 2.25 blocks and 0.90 aces per set.
Northwestern is 4-2 overall, including a 3-0 win over Loyola of the MVC. Three Wildcats average at least 2.68 kills per set, led by Symone Abbott at 3.89 on a .280 attack efficiency. As a team, NU holds opponents to a .143 hitting percentage, and hits .221 as a unit with averages of 13.00 kills, 1.26 aces, 14.00 digs and 1.92 blocks per set.
Middle Tennessee is 1-6 with its lone victory coming against Bowling Green. The Blue Raiders are led by Chelsea Ross, who averages 4.92 kills per set, but hit .173 as a team compared to .238 for the opposition. Middle Tennessee averages 12.16 kills, 12.88 digs, 1.96 blocks and 0.88 aces per set.

The Series
Missouri State is 3-1 all-time against Arkansas State. The Bears and Red Wolves have met just twice in the last quarter century, with MSU wins coming in 2006 and 2011.
The Bears are 0-1 versus Western Kentucky, a 3-0 loss in Springfield in 2014.
MSU is 3-2 in five meetings with Northwestern. The teams have played once since 1983, a 3-1 Missouri State win in 1996 that was the second of Coach Stokes's career.
The Bears hold a 5-0 series lead over Middle Tennessee. MSU earned a home sweep over the Blue Raiders in 2013, and won 3-1 in Murfreesboro in 2007.