Missouri State wraps up its four-match road trip this coming Saturday and Monday with visits to Southern Illinois at 7 p.m. on Oct. 27 and Valparaiso at 6 p.m. on Oct. 29.
   The Bears (11-12, 4-6 Missouri Valley Conference) then return home to Hammons Student Center for two of the regular season's final three weekends in addition to hosting the MVC Tournament over Thanksgiving weekend.
The Opponents
Southern Illinois is 4-19 overall and 0-10 in conference matches. Maggie Nedoma leads the Salukis with 3.41 kills per set, and SIU hits .137 as a team compared to .237 for the opposition, averaging 10.49 kills, 15.61 digs, 1.65 blocks and 1.01 aces per set.
   Valparaiso is 20-5 overall and 7-3 in league play entering weekend matches at UNI and Drake, with its three MVC losses coming to the top three teams in the standings. The veteran Crusaders have four players averaging at least 2.17 kills per set, and hit .229 as a team with a stingy defense that allows a .156 efficiency. As a team, VU averages 13.59 kills, 1.04 aces, 18.32 digs and 2.21 blocks per set.
Series Histories
Missouri State leads SIU 56-19 in the all-time series, winning 25 of the last 30 meetings.
   The Bears are 4-0 all-time against Valparaiso. Three of the four meetings have taken place in Springfield, with the fourth being a 3-0 MSU win in Valparaiso on Nov. 17 last season.
First Meeting This Season
Missouri State swept SIU on Sept. 28 in Springfield for the 500th win of
Melissa Stokes's career. The Bears hit .355 against the Salukis and piled up 58 kills, with
Chloe Rear assisting on 51 of those, both the highest totals at MSU in a three-set match since the 25-point scoring format began in 2008. Four Bears had at least 10 kills, led by 16 on .438 hitting by
Amelia Flynn, and 14 from
Ashley Ophoven.
Â
