Missouri State (8-5) begins MVC play
Dates and Times	Sept. 22, 7 p.m. at Illinois State (7-6) Sept. 23, 7 p.m. at Bradley (7-7) Sept. 25, 7 p.m. vs. Loyola (1-10)
Locations	Normal, Ill. | Peoria, Ill. | Springfield, Mo.
Sites	Redbird Arena | Renaissance Coliseum | Hammons Student Center
ESPN3	Illinois State | Bradley | Loyola
Live Stats	Illinois State | Bradley | Loyola
Missouri State	Game Notes | Volleyball Home Page
Illinois State	Volleyball Home Page
Bradley	Volleyball Home Page
Loyola	Volleyball Home Page
Promotions	Free pizza for first 200 students with MSU ID Monday

The Missouri State volleyball team (8-5) begins Missouri Valley Conference play with three matches wrapped around the opening weekend, visiting Illinois State (7-6) at 7 p.m. Friday and Bradley (7-7) at 7 p.m. Saturday before hosting Loyola (1-10) at 7 p.m. Monday at Hammons Student Center.
    Storylines abound for Friday's league opener, as the preseason league favorite Bears take their 16-match regular-season MVC winning streak on the road for what will be head coach Melissa Stokes's 700th career match, while MSU volleyball alum Leah Johnson will be on the opposite bench as the first-year head coach of the Redbirds.
    Additionally, MSU senior Lily Johnson enters the weekend with 1,945 career kills, three shy of the MVC record held by Bradley's Lindsay Stalzer. 

The Opponents
Illinois State is 7-6 on the year and has won its last three matches. The Redbirds are led by three-time All-American Jaelyn Keene, who hits .301 with averages of 3.62 kills and 1.12 blocks per set. As a team, ISU hits .186 with a league-best .143 opponent efficiency and averages of 13.35 kills, 1.17 aces, 18.06 digs and 2.25 blocks per set.
    Bradley is 7-7 overall after a four-match winning streak. Erica Haslag leads the Braves and the MVC with 4.81 kills per set, and BU hits .226 as a team compared to .188 for the opposition with averages of 14.25 kills, 0.85 aces, 18.47 digs and 2.04 blocks per set.
    Loyola is 1-10 on the season with its lone win coming at home against Samford. The Ramblers hit .128 as a team and allow a .279 attack efficiency while averaging 10.22 kills, 1.08 aces, 12.30 dgis and 1.46 blocks per set.

Series Histories
Missouri State has squared off with Illinois State more than any other school, and holds a 51-47 series lead in 98 all-time meetings. The Bears are 27-13 against ISU since 2001.
    MSU holds a 53-8 series edge with Bradley and has won 32 of the last 33 meetings with the Braves, the loss coming in Peoria in 2008.
    Missouri State is 9-1 against Loyola, with LUC's only win in the series coming in Springfield in 2015.