After two weeks on the road, the Mississippi State University Bulldog volleyball team returns back home this weekend to Newell-Grissom. “It’s nice to be home after two long weekends behind us,” head coach Brenda Bowlin said.
State’s road trips took them to Arkansas and Louisiana State last weekend and Georgia and Florida before that.
“Over this past weekend, we did some nice things and came close to victories at both Arkansas and LSU,” Bowlin said. “We are looking forward to stepping up and finishing.”
Several Bulldogs had standout performances this past weekend. Junior Misty Hubenthal posted her fourth double-double against SEC West-leading Arkansas. Freshman Katy Barnett had a career-high 12 kills in the same match. Sophomore Jennifer Rousey registered a career-best 16 kills against Arkansas and came close to repeating that effort against LSU on Sunday with 15 kills. Sophomore Nicole Broome made her first career start versus Arkansas and posted 7 kills. Sophomore Tanika Taylor led MSU with 13 digs at Louisiana State.
The Bulldogs return home and await visits from SEC East foes Tennessee and Kentucky. The Lady Vols and Wildcats are coming off losses this weekend to the same team, the South Carolina Gamecocks. Kentucky dropped a 3-0 loss at USC on Sunday, on Friday, Tennessee fell in Columbia 3-1. Both Kentucky and Tennessee come into this weekend series with identical records of 10 wins and eight losses overall and three and five in the SEC. The Lady Vols and Wildcats posted SEC wins on Sunday Oct. 14. Tennessee defeated Alabama 3-1 in Knoxville, and Kentucky blanked Auburn in Lexington 3-0.
MSU will face another tough offensive power with these two teams. The Lady Vols are led by Ariana Wilson and Janelle Hester, both closing in on 300 kills. Kentucky’s power, Kristen Batt who, 259 kills on the season.
“Tennessee has played very well and did beat No. 18 South Carolina in Knoxville,” Bowlin said. “Kentucky has been hot and cold, similar to us, but have also posted nice wins.
Friday’s action is scheduled for 7 p.m. against Tennessee and 1 p.m. on Sunday versus Kentucky. A schedule reminder, the Alabama-Birmingham versus State game scheduled for Sept. 11 has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at Newell Grissom.