Rebels Renew Rivalry with Mississippi State Friday, Face LSU Sunday

			Coach McRoberts Weekend Preview • Nicole Purcell (SR, DS) Weekend Preview • Lauren Bars (JR, S) Weekend Preview
			OLE MISS (9-3, 1-0) at MISSISSIPPI STATE (11-3, 0-2) Friday, Oct. 4 • 6 p.m. • Starkville, Miss. Newell-Grissom Building
Channel Finder • Live Stats • Ole Miss Notes • Mississippi State Notes

			OLE MISS (9-3, 1-0) at LSU (8-5, 2-1) Sunday, Oct. 6 • 1 p.m. • Baton Rouge, La. Maravich Center
Watch • Live Stats • LSU Notes

RALLY POINTS

Friday will mark the first of four television matchups for the Rebels. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
Ole Miss enters the week on a nine-match win streak, having picked up a thrilling five-set upset over (RV) Tennessee Friday. The Rebels have won nine matches in a row, the third longest win streak during head coach Steven McRoberts' six seasons. (2014: 14) (2015: 10)
Senior libero Nicole Purcell averaged nearly six digs a set (5.40), hauling in a career-best 27 Friday against Tennessee. It was Purcell's sixth 20+ dig contest of the season, and she fell just two assists shy of her first collegiate double-double after dishing out eight. She leads the league in both total digs (220) and digs per set (4.68). She was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts, earning the fifth weekly award for the Rebel this season. That total ties for the most in program history, set in 2014.
Outside hitters Emily Stroup and Anna Bair tallied 22 and 20 kills respectively in the Rebels' victory, marking the second time this season Ole Miss has had two hitters post 20 kills or more in a contest. Stroup averaged 4.40 a set, while Bair was at an even 4.00.
Junior Lauren Bars reached a program milestone Friday, becoming just the fourth Rebel in the rally scoring era to achieve 2,000 career assists. Bars finished the night with her seventh double-double of the season, registering 39 assists and 13 digs. The seven ties for most in the league this season.
Ole Miss tops the league with 15.70 digs per set and ranks second in total digs (738). In addition to Purcell and Bars, Stroup (12) and sophomore Lauren Thompson (10) also tallied double-digit digs Friday in the victory. It was the first double-digit statistic of Thompson's career.
Senior Emily Stroup is just 113 kills away from becoming the program's all-time kills leader. She currently boasts 1,301 and holds the top two single-season kill records, as well as the top three for a single-match.

SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
The Bulldogs enter the weekend with an 11-3 ledger, but have yet to pick up a win in conference play, falling in four sets to Kentucky and suffering a sweep to LSU. Sophomore middle blocker Gabby Waden tops the squad with 175 kills, carrying a .337 hitting percentage. MSU has five players who boast double-doubles this season, led by SEC co-leader Alleah Stamatis with seven. Mississippi State has tallied a league-best 823 digs, led by junior Kanani Price.

All-Time Series: Ole Miss leads 72-26
Last Meeting: The Rebels won in a thrilling five-setter last October in Oxford, setting a facility attendance record in the process.

SCOUTING LSU
The Tigers started league play unblemished, sweeping both Arkansas and Mississippi State before falling to No. 22 Missouri Wednesday evening. LSU boasts an 8-5 record overall, downing fellow Ole Miss opponent Iowa State in five but fell to Tulane 1-3. All-SEC junior right side Taylor Bannister leads the team with 173 kills after turning in 19 Wednesday against Mizzou. LSU ranks third in the league in both blocks (2.47) and opponent hitting percentage (.165).

All-Time Series: LSU leads 55-18
Last Meeting: Ole Miss split the series with LSU last season, first triumphing in five in Oxford in October for their first league win of the year before dropping another five-setter in Baton Rouge in November.

TO FOLLOW
Friday's match can be viewed live on the SEC Network, while Sunday's will be streamed on SEC Network +. Fans can also follow along via live stats and the @OleMissVB Twitter account for in-game updates.

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Follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissVB, Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball, @olemissvb on Instagram. You can also follow head coach Steven McRoberts on Twitter @CoachMcRoberts.

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Players Mentioned

Lauren Thompson

The University of Mississippi Athletics