Bulldogs Back On The Road To Face Texas A&M

Friday, November 11

College Station, Texas

5:00 PM

Mississippi State

Texas A&M

The Bulldogs head to College Station looking to get back in the win column on Friday against Texas A&M.

Bulldogs Back On The Road To Face Texas A&M

November 10, 2016 | Volleyball

MSU Match Notes SEC Network +Live Stats

STARKVILLE, Miss. – One last road trip in 2016 kicks off on Friday for the Mississippi State Bulldogs (12-15, 4-9 SEC), as they take on the Texas A&M Aggies (16-7, 10-2 SEC) in College Station.

First serve from Reed Arena is set for 5 p.m. CT, with Casey Richardson and Chelsea Reber on the call for the SEC Network + broadcast. Fans can access the match online at WatchESPN.com or on their phone/tablet through the ESPN app.

"It's been a tough stretch for us lately, but these girls continue to battle every single day in practice and they know what it's going to take to be successful this weekend," MSU coach David McFatrich said. "Playing on the road in this conference is always a challenge, but we have a great opportunity to finish on a high note this weekend and that's what has been driving us all week."

A win on Friday would be a major one for the Bulldogs, as it would mark their first victory against the Aggies in program history. A&M leads the overall series 6-0, with a 3-0 mark in College Station.

State will look to a number of players to make that win happen, starting with senior Evie Grace Singleton. She leads MSU with 415 kills, which is fourth-most in school history. She also paces the SEC and stands 15^th in the country with 44 aces, proving her dominance across the board on offense.

Joining Singleton in leading the Bulldog offense is freshman Emily Hill, whose 304 kills are second in the SEC amongst freshmen and are fifth in the MSU freshman record books. Hill has the most kills by a Bulldog rookie since Kimmy Gardiner tallied 399 in 2013.

On the flip side, Jazmyne Johnson has been the key to State's defensive success in 2016, as her 116 total blocks lead the team and stand fourth in the conference. Her total blocks are the most by a Bulldog since Ashley Newsome recorded 137 in the 2010 season. With 7 total blocks last weekend, Johnson moved up to eighth on the MSU single-season chart.

Several keys for State this weekend come in the form of hitting percentage and set victories. MSU is undefeated when out-hitting its opponent, but is 1-15 when losing that battle. The Dogs are also 10-5 this year when capturing the opening set of play and 2-10 when unable to do so. Winning the first two sets proves to be favorable for the Maroon and White, going 8-2 this year when doing so.

State will close out its 2016 road slate at LSU (7-16, 2-10 SEC) on Sunday, Nov. 13. The Dogs and Tigers battle at 1 p.m., with the match being broadcast on SEC Network +.

Match Day Info…

Friday, Nov. 11
Mississippi State (12-15, 4-9 SEC) at Texas A&M (16-7, 10-2 SEC) – 5 p.m. CT
SEC Network + (Casey Richardson & Chelsea Reber)
College Station, Texas
Reed Arena

Last Time Out…
After playing five of their last six matches on the road, the Bulldogs returned home for a weekend at The Griss. Despite showing tremendous fight, State was unable to pick up a win on the weekend, falling in a five-set thriller to South Carolina before dropping a 3-0 decision to No. 6 Florida.

Friday, Nov. 4
South Carolina def. Mississippi State, 3-2 (24-26, 20-25, 25-22, 25-18, 15-13)

Sunday, Nov. 6
No. 6 Florida def. Mississippi State, 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-14)

Leading The Bulldogs…

Kills: Evie Grace Singleton, 415
Assists: Blossom Sato, 760
Aces: Evie Grace Singleton, 44
Digs: Cheyenne Spell, 308
Blocks: Jazmyne Johnson, 106
Points: Evie Grace Singleton, 477.0

A Bulldog Win Would…

Be their first victory against Texas A&M (0-6, 0-3 in College Station)
Snap a four-match losing streak
Give MSU its second road SEC win of the year, tying last year for the most since earning three in 2011
Tie sixth place for most SEC wins in a season (5)
Put them four wins away from securing their second-straight winning season for the third time in school history and first since 2005-06

Series History…

Overall: Texas A&M leads, 6-0
In College Station: Texas A&M leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: Texas A&M def. MSU, 3-0 (Nov. 15, 2015 in Starkville)
Current Streak: Texas A&M, +6

Scouting The Texas A&M Aggies…
Texas A&M (16-7, 10-2 SEC) has been on a roll of late, winning 10 of its last 11 contests. Last week the Aggies took down Alabama, 3-1, and Tennessee, 3-0, at home.

Kiara McGee leads the Aggies with 268 kills, while Kaitlyn Blake tops the team with 125 blocks. Stephanie Aiple paces A&M with 880 assists. Leading the Aggies in aces is Hollann Hans (15) and Amy Nettles is at the top of the digs chart with 293.

MSU Looks For First Program Win Against A&M…
A win on Friday would be a big one, as it would mark the first win against Texas A&M in Bulldog volleyball history. The Aggies lead the series 6-0, with a 3-0 mark in College Station.

Magic Number Down To Five ...
The countdown to a second-straight winning season is on for State. MSU's magic number is down to five after a home win against Tennessee, which would put the Dogs at 17 wins for the year. It would mark the second-straight winning season for just the third time in school history and first since 2005-06.

Moving Up The SEC Wins Chart…
A successful Friday night could mean big things for the Bulldogs in terms of their history of wins in the SEC. A victory would move the Dogs to five conference wins on the year, tying for sixth on MSU's SEC wins chart.

Winning The Attacking Battle Is Crucial ...
To say coming out on top in the hitting percentage battle is key for the Bulldogs may be an understatement. MSU is undefeated this year when out-hitting its opponent and is 1-15 when losing the attacking battle. MSU took down Tennessee in its SEC opener for its first win when losing the attacking battle, hitting .204 to the Volunteers' .278.

The First Set Is The Key ...
One early trend discovered with the 2016 Bulldogs lies within the first set. State is 10-5 when capturing the first set, but when 2-10 when unable to do so. Winning the first two sets almost assures the Bulldogs of victory, as they are 8-2 this year when doing so.

Singleton Continues One Of Best MSU Offensive Seasons…
Senior Evie Grace Singleton has put together one of the most dominant seasons in MSU volleyball history and shows no signs of slowing down. Her 415 kills stand fourth on MSU's single-season list, while her 44 aces currently lead the SEC and place 15^th in the NCAA.

Seven times this season, Singleton has tallied at least 20 kills in a match, with her latest coming on Friday against South Carolina. The seven matches of 20-plus kills tops her one from last year.

Johnson's Blocking Prowess Lands Her On MSU Top 10 List…
Senior Jazmyne Johnson has been a stud so far this year defensively, leading MSU's blocking presence with 116 total. She is the first Bulldog since Lainey Wyman in 2011 to record 100 total blocks in a season. Last weekend, Johnson broke into the MSU single-season Top 10 list with 7 total blocks against South Carolina and No. 6 Florida, placing her eighth on the list.

Hill Making Moves In The MSU Freshman Record Book…
Emily Hill continues to impress in her freshman season. Hill's 304 kills are currently second amongst freshmen in the SEC and fifth in the MSU freshman history books. Her 828 total attacks are also the fifth most in MSU freshman history.

Sato Continues Push Up MSU Record Books…
MSU's sophomore setter Blossom Sato has had a standout season, as she leads the team with 760 assists and a 7.38 per set average. She has already eclipsed the 1,000-assists mark for her career and cracked the Top 10 for career assists at MSU. Sato stands seventh with 1,632 career assists. Next on the list at sixth place: Paris Perret (2010-12) with 2,578.

Other Bulldogs In The Record Books…
Payton Harris remains at third on the MSU career digs list with 1,477. She made the move into third place after tallying 17 digs at Arkansas, passing Kayla Woodard (2007-10). She stands 87 away from tying Megan Lukasek (2004-07) for second place and 230 away from tying Melissa Kariker (1993-96) for first.

Riley Duzenack is the other rookie making moves up the MSU freshman charts. She currently has 394 assists, standing firm at sixth on the MSU freshman assists list. The Melissa, Texas native is just 125 assists away from Tiffany Schneider (1988), who holds fifth place with 519 assists in her first season with the Maroon and White. She is also tied for 10^th on MSU's freshman aces list with 24 on the year, tying Kimmy Gardiner (2013) and Sara Segar (1988).

Live Broadcast…
Friday's match will be featured on SEC Network +, with Casey Richardson and Chelsea Reber on the call. Fans can access the broadcast online through WatchESPN.com, the ESPN app or by clicking the link below.

Mississippi State at Texas A&M SEC Network + Broadcast

Live Stats…
Texas A&M will provide live stats for Friday's contest. Fans can access them through the link below.

Mississippi State at Texas A&M Live Stats

Admission…
Tickets are required for entrance into Texas A&M volleyball matches. General admission tickets are $7 and just $4 for youth in high school and younger. Children the age of two and younger get in for free. Fans can purchase tickets at www.12manfoundation.com or at Reed Arena prior to Friday's match.

Up Next…
MSU will cap its 2016 road slate with a Sunday showdown against the LSU Tigers (7-16, 2-10 SEC). The road finale will be Sunday, Nov. 13 in Baton Rouge at 1 p.m. and will be broadcast online on SEC Network +.

Social Media…
For more information on Mississippi State volleyball, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateVB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."