Parking Note
Due to a concurrent event at JQH Arena Saturday evening, fans are encouraged to allow for extra time to arrive for the volleyball match. Parking will be available at no charge on all adjacent surface lots as well as BearPark South and BearPark North garages. Any tailgating must be limited to the individual parking stall for your vehicle and should not extend to additional parking spots.
Week 6 Storylines
1) Missouri State (3-13, 0-2 Missouri Valley Conference) plays its first home league matches of the season by hosting UNI at 6 p.m. Friday and Drake at 6 p.m. Saturday at Hammons Student Center.
2) Missouri State begins the conference slate against the league's five schools that played in either the NCAA Tournament or NIVC last year, facing Illinois State, Bradley, UNI, Drake and Valpo out of the gate.
3) MSU's sophomore class leads the Bears in most statistical categories this season, ranking 1-2-3 in kill average (
Amelia Flynn,
Sarabi Worsley-Gilbert,
Chloe Rear), 1-4-5 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 has been decimated by injury this season, with five players missing a total of 56 matches so far for health reasons. The Bears have dressed out no more than 11 players for any match.
5) Missouri State will unveil a banner in honor of Dr. Mary Jo Wynn at Friday's home match against UNI. Dr. Wynn, who was the backbone of one of the most progressive and successful women's athletics programs in the country at Missouri State and a national pioneer for the cause of women's sports, passed away in January at the age of 87.
6) This is the fourth time since 1995 that the Bears have started 0-2 in conference play. Missouri State has rebounded from two of those for conference championships: a regular season title in 2016 and a tournament crown in 2008.
The Opponents
UNI is the unanimous pick to win the MVC this season, and is 9-8 overall and 3-0 in Valley play. Six of the Panthers' eight losses were to top-25 opponents. Two-time first-team all-MVC pick Karlie Taylor leads the team with 4.67 kills per set, and the Panthers hit .209 as a team compared to .197 for opponents with averages of 13.73 kills, 0.98 aces, 16.73 digs and 1.79 blocks per set.
   Drake is 7-9 overall and 1-2 in league action. The Bulldogs have gone beyond three sets in 13 of 16 matches this year, and own a .199 hitting percentage with a .216 opponent efficiency. DU averages 12.00 kills, 1.17 aces, 15.58 digs and 2.05 blocks per set.
Series Histories
UNI leads the all-time series by a 51-26 margin. Missouri State won six in a row in the series before the Panthers swept last season's two meetings.
   MSU is 63-9 against Drake and has won 39 of the last 40 meetings, the exception being a loss in Springfield in 2010.
Â
