In just nine short sets, the Mississippi State Volleyball team dominated the Maroon and White Invite, ending the weekend undefeated. It all started on a Friday night in their Maroon jerseys getting the “W,” which some would call a true Maroon Friday.
The Bulldogs exploded during their first game against Southeast Missouri State University, scoring the first point of each set almost immediately. Just coming back from Summer break, this team knew that they had to be all gas and no brakes if they wanted their practices to show on the court.
A true Freshman from Indiana, Lindsey Mangelson, says that Summer has done the team good.
“I think we felt really strong in the gym this summer,” Mangelson said.
Mangelson was the team leader of the game for both SEMO and Grambling, recording four total aces. Mangelson also tied for leader of the game with 16 kills.
In total, MSU surpassed SEMO on the charts, collecting 49 kills, four aces and nine blocks. While this talent was showing off on the court, Mississippi State managed to only have eight errors, compared to SEMO’s 18.
Not only did State come out with a bang in the first set, but they managed to do so in every set of the 3-0 shutout. The Lady Bulldogs secured the first point of each set, ultimately deciding that this game was theirs to win.
The first set was finished with a 25-16 score in just 22 short minutes, while set two was 25-18 and set three with a score of 25-17.
Set one and three were a breeze for State, but set two had them neck and neck with the Redhawks.
“We called a timeout and we kind of just rallied and went back and focused on our side and doing really good,” Coach Julie Darty Dennis said.
Dennis has been the Head Coach for MSU Volleyball since 2018 and she has produced numerous award-winning players. Her experience with this sport and this school not only shows her dedication to bleeding Maroon and White, but also shows that she truly knows what is best for her players.
“I know what they’re capable of,” Dennis said. “I just want them to know what they’re capable of.”
SEMO was a great team for the Bulldogs to get acclimatized to the season again, preparing them for their bigger opponents like Texas, LSU, Georgia and others.
“I think it was great for them to build confidence, we played super hard, so, that was a very good SEMO team and I think we executed really well,” Dennis said.
With this team starting their season the way that they did, they have nothing but potential to look forward to in their upcoming games.
“I feel like all the hitters just played very well, we all use our shots,” Mangelson said.
The players have full confidence in each other, which carries over onto the court allowing them to achieve wins without problem.
After defeating SEMO, State faced Grambling, racking up another 3-0 game. The Bulldogs showed no mercy on the court Saturday night with the set scores being 25-15, 25-14, and 25-19.
MSU acquired seven aces, three blocks, and 46 kills versus Grambling.
To finish off the weekend, State had yet again another 3-0 game against North Alabama.
Mangelson led the team in kills throughout the weekend with 40 kills, and was also submitted for the Maroon and White Invite All-Tournament Team.
State has numerous road trips coming up, including tournaments in Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, etc., but not to forget, they will continue showing off their talent here in Starkville. SEMO was game one of the Maroon & White Invite, alongside Grambling and North Alabama.
The Bulldogs will soon head to the Blue Raider Bash in Tennessee and will be back on home grounds on Sep. 10 for the Showdown At The Net versus Duke.
