Bulldogs Host No. 6 Florida On Sunday

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Newell-Grissom will play host to another top Southeastern Conference showdown, as the Mississippi State Bulldogs (12-14, 4-8 SEC) welcome the No. 6 Florida Gators (21-2, 11-1 SEC) to Starkville on Sunday.

First serve is set for noon CT, with Bart Gregory and Jay Perry 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.

"We know Florida will be a tough challenge for us, but this is the perfect opportunity for us to bounce back and make some history as well," MSU coach David McFatrich said. "Friday was a tough match to drop, but our focus is now on preparing for Florida on Sunday."

The history that could be made would be the first victory against the Gators for State. Florida holds a 47-0 advantage in the series, with a 22-0 record in Starkville. The two teams met earlier this year in Gainesville, with UF taking a 3-0 lead.

A victory would also put State's home win total at 10 on the season, which would tie last year and 2006 for the most home wins in program history. The Maroon and White have never before earned back-to-back seasons with at least 10 home wins.

Looking to make that win happen will be the trio of Evie Grace Singleton, Emily Hill and Jazmyne Johnson. The senior-freshman combo of Singleton and Hill have led the Bulldog offense throughout the 2016 season, topping the team with 402 and 296 kills, respectively. Singleton's 402 stands second in the SEC, while Hill's total is second amongst all SEC freshmen.

Singleton has also been a star from the service line, totaling an SEC-best 44 aces, which stood 11^th in the nation coming into the weekend.

Johnson has been the key to State's defensive success in 2016, as her 115 total blocks lead the team and stand third in the conference. Her total blocks are the most by a Bulldog since Ashley Newsome recorded 137 in the 2010 season. With 6 total denials on Friday, Johnson cracked the MSU single-season Top 10 list, moving into a tie for eighth place with Nicolle Carter (1992) and Ashley Newsome (2008).

The Bulldogs hit the road for their next round of action. State will close out its 2016 road slate at Texas A&M and LSU next weekend. MSU and A&M face off on Friday, Nov. 11 at 5 p.m. CT, while the Dogs and Tigers battle on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. Both matches will be broadcast on SEC Network +, which fans can access through WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app.

Match Day Info…

Sunday, Oct. 30
Mississippi State (12-14, 4-8 SEC) vs. No. 6 Florida (21-2, 11-1 SEC) – 12 p.m. CT
SEC Network + (Bart Gregory & Jay Perry)
Starkville, Miss.
Newell-Grissom Building

Last Time Out…
The Bulldogs fell in five sets on Friday night to South Carolina. After jumping out to a 2-0 lead, State fell victim to a Gamecock rally that saw the visitors rally back to pull out the 3-2 win.

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

Leading The Bulldogs…

Kills: Evie Grace Singleton, 402
Assists: Blossom Sato, 744
Aces: Evie Grace Singleton, 44
Digs: Payton Harris, 300
Blocks: Jazmyne Johnson, 115
Points: Evie Grace Singleton, 464.0

A Bulldog Win Would…

Be their first-ever victory against Florida (0-47, 0-22 in Starkville)
Mark the second win against a ranked program in school history and first since defeating No. 25 Kentucky, 3-0, on Oct. 14, 2011
Be the 10th home victory in the 2016 season, tying the school record (2006, 2015)
Mark the first back-to-back 10-plus win seasons at home in school history
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: Florida leads, 47-0
In Starkville: Florida leads, 22-0
Last Meeting: No. 10 Florida def. Mississippi State, 3-0 (Oct. 21, 2016 in Gainesville)
Current Streak: Florida, +47

Scouting The Florida Gators…
No. 10 Florida is 21-2 on the year, with a 11-1 record in the SEC. The Gators are riding a nine-match winning streak and recently swept Georgia on Wednesday. UF's last five victories have all been sweeps.

Alex Holston paces the Gators with 273 kills, while Carli Snyder is close behind with 270. Allie Monserez leads the team with 880 assists. Caroline Knop leads the team with 326 digs, while Rhamat Alhassan tops the team with 103 blocks.

MSU Looks For First Win Against Florida In Program History…
A win on Friday would be one of the biggest in program history, as it would mark the first win against Florida in 48 matches and the first in Starkville in 23 total contests. It would also be State's second win against a ranked opponent and first since downing No. 25 Kentucky in 2011.

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.

Eight more wins would put MSU at 20 wins on the year, the first time that feat has been accomplished since 1989. It would also be just the fourth time in program history the Dogs have won 20 matches.

Moving Up The SEC Wins Chart…
A successful Sunday 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 1-14 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 2-9 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 Racking Up 20-Kill Matches In 2016…
Seven times this season, senior Evie Grace 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…
Leading the way for MSU's impressive blocking game is senior Jazmyne Johnson, who has totaled 115 total blocks. Johnson is the first Bulldog since Lainey Wyman in 2011 to reach the 100 mark in a season, while her 115 total denials are the most since Ashley Newsome recorded 137 in 2010.

Johnson's blocking prowess has also landed her in the MSU single-season Top 10 list, as her 6 blocks on Friday pushed her past Theresa D'Antoni (1988) and tie her with Nicolle Carter (1992) and Ashley Newsome (2008) for eighth place.

Hill Making Moves In The MSU Freshman Record Book…
Emily Hill continues to impress in her freshman season. Hill's 296 kills are currently second amongst freshmen in the SEC and fifth in the MSU freshman history books. Her 803 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 744 assists and a 7.44 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 1,616 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 1,469. She made the move into third place last Wednesday, passing Kayla Woodard (2007-10) after tallying 17 digs at Arkansas. She stands 95 away from tying Megan Lukasek (2004-07) for second place and 238 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 374 assists, standing firm at sixth on the MSU freshman assists list. The Melissa, Texas native is just 145 assists away from Tiffany Schneider (1988), who holds fifth place with 519 assists in her first season with the Maroon and White.

Live Broadcast…
Sunday's match will be featured on SEC Network +.. Fans can access the broadcast online through WatchESPN.com, the ESPN app or by clicking the link below.

Mississippi State vs. No. 6 Florida SEC Network + Broadcast

Live Stats…
Mississippi State will provide live stats for Sunday's contest. Fans can access them through the link below.

Mississippi State vs. No. 6 Florida Live Stats

Admission…
Fans get into all home Mississippi State volleyball matches at Newell-Grissom for free during the 2016 season.

Promotions…

National Nacho Day – There will be a nacho bar in the lobby of Newell-Grissom
MSU cheer and Bully will all be in attendance for Friday night's match
Number of opportunities to win prizes, including MSU Volleyball Team Trivia and Supersize Serve Challenge

Up Next…
The Dogs get back on the road, as they head to Texas A&M and LSU for their final road matches of the 2016 season. State heads to College Station for a Friday, Nov. 11 contest at 5 p.m. CT. MSU's 2016 road finale will be Sunday, Nov. 13 in Baton Rouge at 1 p.m.

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."

Bulldogs Host No. 6 Florida On Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Riley Duzenack

Payton Harris

Emily Hill

Jazmyne Johnson

Blossom Sato

Evie Grace Singleton

Mississippi State University Athletics

Bulldogs Host No. 6 Florida On Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Riley Duzenack

Payton Harris

Emily Hill

Jazmyne Johnson

Blossom Sato

Evie Grace Singleton

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