Storylines for the Weekend
1) Missouri State (6-8, 0-2 Missouri Valley Conference) will host the longest conference home stand in school history over the next two weeks with five straight matches at Hammons Student Center. The Bears begin that run with matches against Indiana State at 6 p.m. Friday, Evansville at 4 p.m. Saturday and Southern Illinois at 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 2.
2) MoState has notched the top three ace averages since the 25-point scoring era began in the last three seasons, and ranked 39th nationally in 2022 with 195 total aces. The Bears average 1.60 aces per set this year, on par with the 1.61 figures posted in 2020 and 2022.
   The 2023 MSU roster has served a combined 352 aces in the Maroon and White, and the Bears have served double-digit ace totals 18 times in the last three-plus seasons, including four in 2023. This year, the Bears are a net plus-23 points at the service line over the opposition.
3) The Bears lead the MVC and rank 87th nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.181), holding three separate opponents to .066 or lower. MoState also ranks 22nd nationally in dig average at 16.51 per set.
4) Fifth-year senior
Azyah Green has recorded at least 100 blocks in each of her first four seasons and is the first player since the 1980s to lead the Bears in that category in four consecutive years.
   Green ranks fifth in school history with 517 total blocks and 11th with a 1.05 per set average. Among active Division I players, Green is second in sets played (494), seventh in blocks (517) and 10th in matches (128).
5) Senior
Teagan Polcovich became the 26th MSU player with 1,000 career digs on Sept. 8 and now ranks 17th on the school's list with 1,162. Her 3.83 career average ranks fifth on the Bears' career list, and she sits 18th nationally in total digs (273) and 24th in average (4.96/set) in 2023.
6) Junior
Maddy Bushnell set MSU's freshman record with a .343 hitting percentage in 2021, and currently ranks ninth in school history with a .296 attack efficiency for her career.
7) Head coach
Steven McRoberts is in his fourth season in Springfield and 27th overall as a head coach with 634 victories to his credit, good for 12th among active Division I coaches.
8) The Bears will play half of their scheduled 30 matches at Hammons Student Center this season and host the MVC Tournament for the first time since 2018. Missouri State has hosted the conference meet 10 times previously, three as the Gateway Tournament and seven under the MVC heading. All told, Hammons will host 27 matches this season, including neutral-site contests.
Series Histories
Missouri State is 72-4 all-time against Indiana State with a 34-1 home record against the Sycamores. ISU's lone win in Springfield came in 1994.
   The Bears are 51-8 versus Evansville with a 28-2 home mark. The Purple Aces are 5-3 against MoState in the last eight meetings, including both of their wins in Springfield.
   MSU holds a 60-23 lead over Southern Illinois and is 34-8 against the Salukis in Springfield. SIU swept the season series last year.
Last Week
Missouri State started MVC play with losses at Valpo and UIC.
   On Friday at Valpo, the Bears tallied 110 digs, their most since 2014, in a five-set loss.
Teagan Polcovich collected 36 of those for the seventh-best match total in school history.
   Saturday, MoState never led in a sweep at UIC. The Bears hit .232 and committed only seven attack errors, but the Flames posted a .372 efficiency.
