STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State volleyball extended its winning streak to two matches with a four-set victory over Northwestern on Friday night. The Bulldogs improved to 4-1 overall this season after winning the match 3-1.
The Bulldogs took the first set 25-18, lost the second 16-25, then won the third 25-13 and the fourth 25-18. Head coach Julie Darty Dennis praised her team’s effort, highlighting their defensive performance and service pressure.
“What a gritty win for the Dawgs. This has been two solid days of some good, physical, Big Ten teams who came into The Griss and made us fight,” Dennis said. “I’m so proud of our defensive effort. McKenna Yates has had two great days on the back line. Our service pressure was consistently great and allowed us to play good defense. 17 people took part in this win, and 17 people continue to contribute to our success.”
The Bulldogs hit a season-high .317 team hitting percentage, led by Lindsey Mangelson with 17 kills on 34 swings and a .412 percentage. Bernardita Aguilar added 15 kills and a double-double with 10 digs and four blocks. Cayley Hanson recorded 37 assists, 10 digs, and five kills, while McKenna Yates led defensively with 14 digs. Gha’Naye Whitfield-Moss contributed five blocks, and Noella Obi added eight kills and two blocks.
Mississippi State will play next Tuesday at Wake Forest in the ACC Challenge. The match is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on ACCNX. Fans can follow updates on social media under ‘HailStateVB’ or visit HailState.com for latest news.
