Week 8 Storylines
1) Missouri State returns home for 6 p.m. matches with Indiana State and Evansville on Friday and Saturday before hitting the road for a Monday evening tilt at Southern Illinois.
2) Interim head coach Manolo Concepción faces his former team on Saturday. Concepción served as the head coach at Evansville from 2013-18.
3) MSU's sophomore class leads the Bears in most statistical categories this season, ranking 1-2-4 in kill average (
Amelia Flynn,
Sarabi Worsley-Gilbert,
Chloe Rear), 2-3-5 in total kills (Rear, Flynn, Worsley-Gilbert), 1 in assists (Rear), 1-2 in digs (
Leah Vokolek, Rear), and 1-2-3 in aces (Rear, Vokolek, Flynn). Meanwhile, freshman
Azyah Green leads the Bears in total blocks.
4) Missouri State's series records against Indiana State (67-1) and Evansville (48-3) rank as the first- and third-best winning percentages for any MVC opponent against another in league history.
5) Missouri State has been decimated by injury this season, with six players missing a total of 66 matches so far for health reasons. The Bears have dressed out no more than 12 players for any match.
6) With 1.31 per set, the Bears are on pace for their highest ace average during the 25-point scoring era (since 2008). MSU has two matches this year with double-digit ace totals.
The Opponents
Indiana State is 3-13 overall and 1-5 in MVC play after defeating Evansville in its last match. The Sycamores hit .150 as a team and allow a .208 efficiency with averages of 11.60 kills, 1.07 aces, 18.40 digs and 1.62 blocks per set.
   Evansville is 12-5 overall and 3-3 in league matches. Melanie Feliciano (4.54) and Rachel Tam (4.18) rank second and third in the league in kill average, and the Aces hit .191 as a team with a .202 opponent percentage. UE averages 13.53 kills, 1.32 aces, 17.66 digs and 1.63 blocks per set.
   Southern Illinois is 10-10 overall and 2-4 in MVC matches. SIU's Rachel McGuire leads the nation with nine triple-doubles on the season, and the Salukis rank first nationally in total digs. Southern hits .175 as a team, allows a .197 efficiency, and averages 12.04 kills, 1.37 aces, 17.31 digs and 1.51 blocks per set.
Series Histories
MSU leads the all-time series with Indiana State by a 67-1 margin, with the Bears' lone loss occurring in five sets in Springfield 1994. Since then, the Bears have reeled off 53 straight wins against the Sycamores.
   The Bears lead Evansville by a 48-3 margin, losing just twice since 1999.
   Missouri State leads SIU 57-19 in the all-time series, winning 26 of the last 31 meetings.
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