Mississippi State Volleyball Heads to Tennessee, Kentucky

Mississippi State volleyball is scheduled to face No. 10 Tennessee in Knoxville on Friday before traveling to Lexington to play No. 6 Kentucky on Sunday. Both matches are scheduled to air on SEC Network+.

The Bulldogs and Volunteers are scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. Central time Friday at Cronan Volleyball Center. Mississippi State’s match against Kentucky is listed for noon Central time Sunday at Historic Memorial Coliseum.

Mississippi State enters the matchups 17-5 overall and 7-4 in Southeastern Conference play. The Bulldogs lead the conference in digs per set, averaging 15.36. Ava Anderson recorded 10 blocks against Alabama, making her the first Mississippi State player to reach double digits in blocks since Rebecca Walk in 2024.

The Bulldogs also swept Ole Miss on the road for the first time in more than 10 years, according to the team. Bernardita Aguilar had 13 kills and 10 digs for a double-double. Mckenna Yates reached 1,000 career digs against Alabama, and Mississippi State recorded five aces in a reverse-sweep victory over the Crimson Tide. The team said it was its first reverse sweep in three years. Defensive specialist Mary Neal has six kills over the past four matches.

Tennessee is 16-5 overall and 7-4 in the SEC and has lost its past two matches, to Texas A&M and Missouri. The Volunteers lead the nation with 14.45 kills per set. Chelsea Sutton ranks second in the SEC in blocks per set at 1.27, while Caroline Kerr is second in conference assists with 787.

Kentucky is 16-5 overall and 8-3 in the SEC after a 3-0 win over Missouri. The Wildcats lead the nation in assists per set at 15.53 and rank second in kills per set at 14.44. Kassie O’Brien leads the NCAA with 11.68 assists per set.

Friday’s match will be the 72nd meeting between Mississippi State and Tennessee; the teams first played in 1976. Sunday’s matchup will be the 62nd between the Bulldogs and Kentucky, whose series began in 1979.

Source: Original Article