Friday, September 13
Jacksonville, Ala.
10:00 AM
Mississippi State
vs
Stetson
Photo by: Blake Williams/MSU Athletics
Undefeated MSU Volleyball Continues Non-Conference Tournament Stretch
September 12, 2019 | Volleyball
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – After sweeping two tournaments to start the season, Mississippi State volleyball will have another try this weekend at the Gamecock Classic.
The 6-0 Bulldogs head to Jacksonville, Alabama, for another two-day, three-match event, set for Friday and Saturday, September 13-14. MSU will take on Stetson and Sam Houston State on Friday, before facing host Jacksonville State in the tournament finale on Saturday at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
Live stats will be available for all matches.
"Every weekend is a great opportunity to continue to grow and get better," head coach Julie Darty said. "We are still in the process of figuring how to play consistent volleyball all the time and this is another great non-conference weekend for us to figure that out. I am hoping that we will be able to focus on the serve and pass game so we can maintain a balanced offense, which I think will lead to more success.
"If we can keep building and focusing on the little things in this process, I think we will be pleased with the result. This team is focused and bought into the process, and they are committed to playing hard and playing for each other. I am excited for the team to head to Jacksonville State this weekend and be able to compete against some really tough non-conference opponents. These three teams that we will face this weekend are very good teams. We are going to get tested and challenged, and that's exactly what we want. We have to get pushed in order to continue to grow."
MSU's 6-0 run to start the campaign is its best since 2010, when the Bulldogs began the year on a seven-match win streak. With the possibility of three more wins this weekend, State could attain its best opening since the 9-0 2005 team, and just the fourth 9-0 start all-time.
Mississippi State and Missouri open the weekend as the only two SEC teams with a perfect record.
At 10 a.m. CT Friday, MSU and Stetson open the Gamecock Classic. State has won the last two matchups with the Hatters, going back to 2015.
In MSU's second match of the day, the Bulldogs take on the Bearkats of Sam Houston State at 4:30 p.m. State holds a 3-1 record all-time against SHSU.
On Saturday, the final match of the tournament pits MSU against host Jacksonville State. The Bulldogs currently hold an eight-match win streak against the Gamecocks, stretching back to 1995.
Defensively, the Dawgs have been stalwart. MSU sits No. 4 in the SEC with 14.38 digs per set and No. 5 in opponent hitting percentage, with a .164 mark. The Bulldogs have not allowed an opponent to hit better than .224 so far this season and have won the dig battle in five of six matches.
Freshman Makenzie Jordan and senior Amarrah Cooks were key defensively in State's sweep of the Southern Miss Classic a weekend ago. Jordan averaged 4.25 digs per set wearing the libero jersey, and Cooks totaled 13 blocks.
Offensively, Cooks and sophomore Gabby Waden had all-tournament showings. Cooks boasted a .346 hitting percentage and 23 kills, while Waden led all MSU attackers with a .429 mark and 45 kills.
Southern Miss Classic MVP Alleah Stamatis already has three double-doubles to her name in 2019, earning two of them in Hattiesburg. The senior ranks No. 9 in the SEC with 8.96 assists per set and tied for seventh with 0.42 aces per set.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching @HailStateVB.
Southern Miss Classic Schedule
* All times central
The 6-0 Bulldogs head to Jacksonville, Alabama, for another two-day, three-match event, set for Friday and Saturday, September 13-14. MSU will take on Stetson and Sam Houston State on Friday, before facing host Jacksonville State in the tournament finale on Saturday at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
Live stats will be available for all matches.
"Every weekend is a great opportunity to continue to grow and get better," head coach Julie Darty said. "We are still in the process of figuring how to play consistent volleyball all the time and this is another great non-conference weekend for us to figure that out. I am hoping that we will be able to focus on the serve and pass game so we can maintain a balanced offense, which I think will lead to more success.
"If we can keep building and focusing on the little things in this process, I think we will be pleased with the result. This team is focused and bought into the process, and they are committed to playing hard and playing for each other. I am excited for the team to head to Jacksonville State this weekend and be able to compete against some really tough non-conference opponents. These three teams that we will face this weekend are very good teams. We are going to get tested and challenged, and that's exactly what we want. We have to get pushed in order to continue to grow."
MSU's 6-0 run to start the campaign is its best since 2010, when the Bulldogs began the year on a seven-match win streak. With the possibility of three more wins this weekend, State could attain its best opening since the 9-0 2005 team, and just the fourth 9-0 start all-time.
Mississippi State and Missouri open the weekend as the only two SEC teams with a perfect record.
At 10 a.m. CT Friday, MSU and Stetson open the Gamecock Classic. State has won the last two matchups with the Hatters, going back to 2015.
In MSU's second match of the day, the Bulldogs take on the Bearkats of Sam Houston State at 4:30 p.m. State holds a 3-1 record all-time against SHSU.
On Saturday, the final match of the tournament pits MSU against host Jacksonville State. The Bulldogs currently hold an eight-match win streak against the Gamecocks, stretching back to 1995.
Defensively, the Dawgs have been stalwart. MSU sits No. 4 in the SEC with 14.38 digs per set and No. 5 in opponent hitting percentage, with a .164 mark. The Bulldogs have not allowed an opponent to hit better than .224 so far this season and have won the dig battle in five of six matches.
Freshman Makenzie Jordan and senior Amarrah Cooks were key defensively in State's sweep of the Southern Miss Classic a weekend ago. Jordan averaged 4.25 digs per set wearing the libero jersey, and Cooks totaled 13 blocks.
Offensively, Cooks and sophomore Gabby Waden had all-tournament showings. Cooks boasted a .346 hitting percentage and 23 kills, while Waden led all MSU attackers with a .429 mark and 45 kills.
Southern Miss Classic MVP Alleah Stamatis already has three double-doubles to her name in 2019, earning two of them in Hattiesburg. The senior ranks No. 9 in the SEC with 8.96 assists per set and tied for seventh with 0.42 aces per set.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching @HailStateVB.
Southern Miss Classic Schedule
| Date | Time | Matchup | Stream | Live Stats |
| Friday, Sept. 13 | 10 a.m. | Mississippi State vs. Stetson | -- | https://hailst.at/2kczvLS |
| Friday, Sept. 13 | 12:30 p.m. | Sam Houston State at Jacksonville State | ESPN+ | https://hailst.at/2kxslCi |
| Friday, Sept. 13 | 4:30 p.m. | Mississippi State vs. Sam Houston State | -- | https://hailst.at/2lJNgCd |
| Friday, Sept. 13 | 7 p.m. | Stetson at Jacksonville State | ESPN+ | https://hailst.at/2kGOmhX |
| Saturday, Sept. 7 | 11 a.m. | Sam Houston State vs. Stetson | -- | https://hailst.at/2lSGjyB |
| Saturday, Sept. 7 | 7 p.m. | Mississippi State at Jacksonville State | -- | https://hailst.at/2meLklv |
* All times central
Players Mentioned
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MB
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