Missouri State (7-6) Begins MVC Play
Dates and Times	Sept. 21, 3 p.m. vs. Illinois State (8-4) Sept. 22, 7 p.m. vs. Bradley (10-2) Sept. 24, 5 p.m. at Loyola (8-4)
Location	Springfield, Mo. | Chicago, Ill.
Site	Hammons Student Center | Gentile Arena
ESPN Stream	Illinois State | Bradley ($) | Loyola
Live Stats	Illinois State/Bradley | Loyola
Missouri State	Match Notes | Volleyball Home Page
Illinois State	Volleyball Home Page
Bradley	Volleyball Home Page
Loyola	Volleyball Home Page
Promotions	Friday - Free admission; free pizza for first 500 students

After posting a winning non-conference record for the 19th time in 20 seasons, the Missouri State volleyball team (7-6) begins defense of its back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference titles Friday at 3 p.m. against Illinois State.
    Admission is free to the ISU match after it was moved to the 3 p.m. start to accommodate an appearance by President Donald Trump on campus Friday evening. There will also be free pizza for the first 500 students.
    The Bears also host Bradley (10-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday before closing visiting Loyola (8-4) for a 5 p.m. Monday contest.
    Missouri State has won 34 consecutive regular-season MVC matches, while head coach Melissa Stokes enters the weekend with 499 career victories.

The Opponents
Illinois State is 8-4 on the year with three losses to top-25 competition under second-year head coach Leah Johnson, who played for MSU from 2000-03. Five Redbirds average between 2.03 and 2.70 kills per set, and preseason all-MVC pick Courtney Pence averages 5.50 digs and is the only active NCAA player with more career digs than MSU's Emily Butters. As a team, ISU hits .235 and yields a .183 figure with averages of 13.69 kills, 16.00 digs, 2.10 blocks and 1.21 aces per set.
    Bradley is 10-2 with both losses coming in five sets. Erica Haslag averages 3.78 kills per set on .279 hitting as a preseason all-MVC pick, and the Braves hit .227 as a team compared to .141 for opponents. Bradley averages 13.36 kills, 18.13 digs, 1.96 blocks and 1.53 aces per set.
    Loyola is 8-4 overall under first-year head coach Amanda Berkley. Five Ramblers average at least 1.85 kills per set for a balanced offense that hits .230. Loyola's defense allows a .206 efficiency, and LUC averages 13.00 kills, 15.60 digs, 2.28 blocks and 1.67 aces per set.

Series Histories
Missouri State has squared off with Illinois State more than any other school, and holds a 53-47 series lead in 100 all-time meetings. The Bears are 29-13 against ISU since 2001. 
    MSU holds a 55-8 series edge with Bradley and has won 34 of the last 35 meetings with the Braves, the loss coming in Peoria in 2008. Since then, MSU has won the last 18 matches in the series.
    Missouri State is 11-1 against Loyola, with LUC's only win in the series coming in Springfield in 2015.