The Mississippi State volleyball team will host the Bulldog Invitational this weekend as the team is set to play Arkansas State, Northwestern State and Eastern Michigan.
MSU (2-6) is going into the tournament after being handed a 2-3 home loss on Tuesday against Southern Miss.
Despite MSU leading 2-0 and a career performance in kills by junior middle blocker Ashley Newsome, USM’s defense finished strong totaling 78 digs and took full advantage by putting the Bulldogs away.
The Bulldogs started off quick in the first set, winning 25-15. USM threatened to take the lead a couple times in the second set, but the Bulldogs held them off 25-21. USM came out of the break strong taking the next two sets — 25-21 and 25-23 — then finished off the Bulldogs 15-6 in the fifth set.
Newsome had a career game in which she was the go-to player in the match, but head coach Jenny Hazelwood said a team effort is needed to come out victorious.
“We talked about that in the locker room that we need more than just one player,” she said. “Ashley can have a career night, and we can still lose. We had a lot of freshman and sophomores out there on the court. We have to just find our rhythm and that consistent level of play.”
Junior libero Kayla Woodard, who entered the matchup with an SEC-leading 105 digs, added 20 more to her overall total, a game high.
Coming into the match, the Bulldogs had already experimented with four different starting lineups, with nine different players drawing starts through seven matches.
Hazelwood said MSU’s youth proves challenging when it comes to having the mindset to finish games.
“We’re young and plugging in pieces to figure out what line up is best,” she said.
The Bulldogs lost starting middle blocker Mandy Mellencamp to a torn ACL and MCL in last weekend’s tournament at Missouri State. She will undergo season-ending surgery next week.
Hazelwood praised freshman Dravon Rangel, who started for the team in Mellencamp’s absence, for stepping up to the challenge.
“Southern Miss ran a really fast tempo, and that’s hard for any freshman to come in and try to keep up with and do all the little things right,” Hazelwood said. “She’s going to have to learn as she’s doing it, and it’ll pay off in the long run for her.”
Freshman setter Hillary Parker made her fifth consecutuive start Tuesday.
“She puts our hitters in such great situations,” Hazelwood said. “She and Ashley were really connecting Tuesday night. I’m proud of Hillary for her work ethic. She’s one of our best defensive players.”
According to teammates Ioana Demian and Ashley Newsome, Parker has been an asset to the team with how she has handled the pressure.
Hazelwood said the Bulldogs are working on becoming a better serving team and gaining the drive needed to compete in every aspect of volleyball.
“Wanting to win is not the same as playing to win, and they’re learning that,” she said.
The Bulldogs compete today against Arkansas State (6-1) at 7 p.m., and Saturday against Northwestern State (0-4) at 12:30 p.m. and Eastern Michigan (0-8) at 7 p.m.
Ioana Demian is looking to become the 10th Bulldog to reach the 1,000-kill career mark and is one shy of 700 heading into the Invitational.