Parking Note
Due to multiple campus events on both Friday and Saturday, fans are encouraged to allow for extra time to arrive for the volleyball. 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 8 Storylines
1) Missouri State (5-18, 2-7 Missouri Valley Conference) begins its second trip through the MVC schedule at home with matches against Bradley on Friday and Illinois State on Saturday. Both matches begin at 6 p.m.
2) 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), 1-3-4 in digs (
Leah Vokolek, Rear, Flynm), and 1-2 in aces (Rear, Vokolek). Meanwhile, freshman
Azyah Green leads the Bears in total blocks.
3) Illinois State head coach Leah Johnson returns to her alma for the third time since taking over the Redbirds in 2017. A 2004 MSU graduate who had more than 1,000 digs in her career as a Bear, split her first two trips to Hammons Student Center.
4) Missouri State has been decimated by injury this season, with six players missing a total of 69 matches so far for health reasons. MSU had 11 or fewer players active in each of the season's first 20 matches.
5) With 1.27 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.
6) Chloe Rear has four triple-doubles on the season, the most in a single season at Missouri State since 1989, and fourth nationally in 2019. Those four triple-doubles also tie current MSU assistant
Carly Thomas for the most in a career during the rally scoring era (since 2001). Rear averages 8.1 kills, 16.3 assists and 7.8 digs on a per match basis.
The Opponents
Bradley is 9-10 overall and 5-3 in The Valley. One of the league's most dynamic players, Hannah Thompson, leads the Braves in both kills (3.23/set) and digs (4.81), and Bradley ranks second nationally with 19.82 digs per set. The Braves hit .193 as a team, allow a .197 efficiency, and average 12.89 kills, 1.26 aces and 2.12 blocks.
   Illinois State is 13-7 overall and and 6-2 in MVC play with a victory over 14th-ranked Illinois. The Redbirds hit .219 as a team, own a league-best .164 opponent efficiency, and average 13.38 kills, 1.49 aces, 15.84 digs and 2.31 blocks per set.
Series Histories
The Bears hold a 55-11 series edge with Bradley, and won 18 in a row in the series prior to BU's current three-game win streak.
   Missouri State has squared off with Illinois State more than any other school, and holds a 53-50 series lead in 103 all-time meetings. The Bears are 29-16 against ISU since 2001.
First Meetings This Season
Bradley won 3-1 in Peoria on Sept. 28. The Bears had two set points in the first period, which would have set the table for a 2-0 lead, but the Braves rallied and then committed only one total attack error in the final two frames.
Aubrey Cheffey hit .333 with 16 kills for the Bears.
   ISU took the Valley opener for both teams on Sept. 27 in Normal. The Redbirds hit .344 compared to .020 for the Bears in the sweep.
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