The Mississippi State volleyball Bulldogs (5-1) will open their 2006 home season this weekend in the MSU/Microtel Classic. The Classic will feature five teams this year, in contrast to the four teams the Classic hosted the first two years of its existence.
The Bulldogs enter the tournament as the odds-on favorite, facing only one team they have seen since 2000. Though the competition will look relatively unfamiliar to the Dawgs, another tournament championship is what MSU needs heading into SEC play next week.
“This weekend is going to give us a chance to play against some different competition,” MSU volleyball head coach Tina Seals said. “We’ll see teams this weekend that we haven’t played against too much in the past. We hope to correct things we learned from last weekend, and this weekend should give us a chance to do that.”
Mississippi State will face off against Jackson State Friday at 2 p.m., officially opening their home schedule of 2006. Mississippi State has not faced JSU since 1998 but holds a 13-2 record against the Tigers.
Jackson State last defeated the Bulldogs in 1979 and last took a game away from MSU in 1980. JSU has participated in one tournament already in this young season.
State will play Louisiana-Monroe (1-7) in its second match of the Classic, which will take place Friday at 7 p.m. Mississippi State last saw the Warhawks of ULM in 2000, when the Bulldogs took the match 3-0. MSU currently holds the advantage against ULM, 7-3. 1990 marks the last time ULM has defeated the Bulldogs.
The Warhawks have already been in SEC competition this season, losing to Auburn 3-0 in their season opener.
Grambling State will test the Bulldogs of MSU Saturday at noon, serving as State’s third foe of the classic. State has only faced the GSU Lady Tigers once in program history, and State took that contest 3-0. Grambling State, like Jackson State, has participated in a tournament already this season in Dallas, Texas.
Mississippi State’s final foe of the tournament, Troy University (2-4), rings clearest in the Bulldogs’ memory.
Troy, formerly known as Troy State, took on the Bulldogs two years ago and lost 3-1. MSU leads the series against the Trojans 6-2.
The Trojans haven’t taken a match from the Bulldogs since 1994.
Mississippi State will test the Trojans in the tournament finale Saturday at 7 p.m.
Tournament matches will take place throughout all Friday and Saturday, and the addition of approximately 600 brand new chair-back seats in Newell-Grissom should draw a larger supporting crowd than in the past. Bulldog Bash should also bring in quite a few spectators.
“We’re excited to be playing here on campus in opening weekend,” Seals said. “It just so happens that the Auburn football game is this weekend, and we hope to draw some of that crowd to come support us as well. This weekend should be a lot of fun.”