First-Place Bears Host Evansville Sunday, Monday

Missouri State (9-2, 5-1) vs. Evansville (3-7, 2-6)
Dates and Times	Sunday, Feb. 28, 12 p.m. Monday, March 1, 5 p.m.
Location	Springfield, Mo.
Site	Hammons Student Center
Fan Info	Capacity for 2021 home matches is 1,250 and fans are required to wear masks inside Hammons Student Center
Program	Digital match program
ESPN+	Sunday \| Monday
Live Stats	Sidearm Stats
Missouri State	Match Notes \| Volleyball Home Page
Evansville	Volleyball Home Page
Promotions	Sunday - MSU Faculty/Staff Appreciation Monday - First Responder Day

Storylines for the Evansvile Series
1) Missouri State (9-2, 5-1 Missouri Valley Conference) returns to action Sunday and Monday by hosting Evansville (3-7, 2-6) at Hammons Student Center. First serve is set for noon on Feb. 28 and 5 p.m. on March 1.

2) MSU started 9-1 overall to join the 2000 and 1993 clubs as the only three in MSU's Division I era (since 1982) to win nine of their first 10 matches.

3) Missouri State's last 10 matches have gone at least four sets, the longest stretch without a three-setter in school history. Only three previous times (2001, 1997 and 1989) had MSU played as many as eight consecutive matches of more than three sets.

4) The Bears average 1.88 aces per set, on pace for the best figure since 1987 and well ahead of the 2003 club's 1.47 average that ranks as the best in the rally scoring era. Missouri State has five matches with 10-plus aces already this year, the most since the 1990 team did that six times.

5) MSU has served 32 more aces than the opposition with 44 fewer service errors, resulting in a 76-point difference. The Bears have served more aces than the opposition in eight of 11 matches, and more aces than errors in 10 of 11 contests.

6) Missouri State has won 79 percent of its matches at Hammons Student Center since the year 2000 and posted a winning home record in 21 consecutive seasons. The Bears are 6-1 at HSC this season.

7) Underclassmen have accounted for 69 percent of MSU's point total this season, and all but one of the Bears' 746 points this year have been scored by non-seniors.

The Opponent
Evansville is 3-7 overall and 2-6 in MVC play. Alondra Vazquez (3.90) and Melanie Feliciano (3.51) rank 2-6 in the league in kills per set and account for more than 65 percent of UE's kills. Defensively, Brooke Springer and Hannah Watkins average 1.17 and 1.15 blocks per set to rank 2-3 in the MVC. The Purple Aces hit .154 as a team and allow a .201 efficiency, averaging 11.31 kills, 0.87 aces, 16.64 digs and 1.95 blocks per set.

Series History
Missouri State is 48-5 all-time against Evansville but was swept in the series in 2019 for the first time ever.

Last Time Out
Missouri State split a pair of 3-2 matches at UNI Feb. 14 and 15, beginning with the Bears' first 0-2 comeback since 2015 on Sunday. In that contest, the Bears trailed 22-18 in the third set before closing on a 7-0 run, the got six blocks from La'Treva Kennedy in the fourth set alone. MSU bolted to a 6-1 lead in the fifth and never trailed, closing out the win with Brooklyn Cink's career-high fifth ace.
On Monday, Missouri State thwarted a UNI match point in the fourth and led 8-4 in the fifth before the Panthers used a pair of 5-0 runs to rally. Cink and Amelia Flynn each had 16 kills for the Bears, and freshman Rylee Fay served four of MSU's 11 aces.

First-Place Bears Host Evansville Sunday, Monday

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Players Mentioned

Brooklyn Cink

Rylee Fay

Amelia Flynn

La'Treva Kennedy

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