The Standard

Issue date: 9/22/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Matt Kile

Missouri State volleyball started the Missouri Valley Conference portion of their schedule with a pair of wins in its opening weekend.

The team beat Indiana State, 3-0, and Illinois State, 3-1, to start the MVC season 2-0 for the fourth time in the last five years.

"At this point in the year, everyone in the Valley is 0-0, and they are all shooting for a conference title," head coach Melissa Stokes said. "It feels really good to (pick up these wins)."

Offensively, the Bears were led by senior outside hitter Addie Foley, who had 16 kills in each match, while hitting over .310. Defensively, the team was stabilized by junior libero Cara Hackmann, who had 46 digs, or 6.6 per set, on the weekend.

As far as the outlook for the MVC schedule, Stokes says she "feels very good" as to where the team is heading.

"We played a very competitive nonconference schedule so far, but we feel very prepared going deeper into conference play," Stokes said. "We are going to keep getting better going into the MVC tournament."

The Valley is extremely top heavy this season, led by No. 20 in the nation Wichita State, who are 11-1 on the season. The other three undefeated teams in conference play after the first weekend are Northern Iowa at 11-1, Southern Illinois at 11-0 and the Bears at 9-4.

After the first four, the rest of the conference is staggered but includes Bradley, Creighton, Drake, Evansville, Illinois State and Indiana State, as they vie for the other two spots in the end of season MVC tournament.

"The most interesting part of this conference, though, is that anybody can win on any given night," Stokes said. "That's what makes this game is so exciting."

Outside of conference play, Missouri State will have one other nonconference match, on Oct. 25 at Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne. The matchup will complete home-and-home scheduling from last season's Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational.

Next up for Missouri State will be Wichita State, at 7 p.m. Friday at Hammons Student Center, which will be supported by a Maroon Madness night.

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