Week 11 Storylines
1) Missouri State (8-19, 5-8 Missouri Valley Conference) has won four of its last seven matches and is back in the thick of the MVC Tournament race, tied with SIU and Evansville for the sixth and final spot. The Bears are back home this week for matches against Loyola at 6 p.m. Friday and Valparaiso at 5 p.m. Saturday.
2) MSU's sophomore class leads the Bears in most statistical categories this season, ranking 1-4-5 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, Flynn), and 1-2 in aces (Rear, Vokolek). Meanwhile, freshman
Azyah Green leads the team in total blocks.
3) Missouri State has been decimated by injury this season, with six players missing a total of 73 matches so far for health reasons. MSU had 11 or fewer players active in each of the season's first 20 matches.
4) With 1.19 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.
5) 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 8.0 kills, 17.0 assists and 7.9 digs on a per match basis.
The Opponents
Loyola is 17-8 overall and 10-2 in league play. The Ramblers lead the MVC in aces (1.63/set) and defensive hitting percentage (.165), and average 13.65 kills, 16.20 digs and 2.28 blocks while hitting .225 as a team. Five regulars average at least 1.87 kills per set for LUC.
   Valparaiso is 10-16 overall and 5-7 in MVC play. The Crusaders, who won 27 matches last season, hit .152 as a team and allow a .189 efficiency with averages of 12.25 kills, 1.23 aces, 17.25 digs and 2.08 blocks per set.
Series Histories
The Bears are 12-3 against Loyola, with a 6-1 in mark in Springfield. The home team has won the last three meetings
   Missouri State is 5-3 all-time against Valpo. The Bears won the first five meetings in the series before the Crusaders won the last three, all since Nov. 16 of last season.
First Meetings This Season
Missouri State was swept at Valpo and Loyola in October. Against the Crusaders, MSU was on the short end of a defensive struggle in which both teams hit .140 or worse, while Loyola hit on all cylinders with a .363 attack efficiency to hand MSU a 3-0 loss on Oct. 12.
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