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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Wednesday, October 23
Starkville, Miss.
7 PM
Ole Miss
at
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Mississippi State
Photo by: Ole Miss Athletics
Volleyball Set for Clash at Mississippi State
10/22/2024 | Volleyball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Ole Miss volleyball program wraps up a three-match road swing, facing rival Mississippi State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT.
The Rebels (13-5, 3-3 SEC) are coming off a sweep at South Carolina, while the Bulldogs (7-8, 1-5 SEC) enter on a five-match skid.
RALLY POINTS
The Rebels earned their first SEC road victory of the season, sweeping to a 3-0 win at South Carolina on Friday.
Shayla Meyer and Nia Washington each added 10 kills to lead the offense, while Sasha Ratliff recorded a season-high seven blocks, as the Rebels utilized a balanced attack to keep the Gamecocks at bay. Mokihana Tufono added a double-double with 36 assists and 10 digs, while Cammy Niesen notched 16 digs on the defensive end.
RISING STAR
Nia Washington is in the midst of a breakout junior season and her play has elevated the Rebels to new heights, as they've surged past last season's win total by early October.
Washington has become a lethal hitter in recent weeks, averaging 4.18 kills per set in conference play, compared to her 3.48 kills per set average this season. The New Orleans native has three, 20-kill matches in her last five contests and has already blown past all of her previous career-highs across numerous categories so far.
Her play has gained her recognition on the national scale, as she tallied 20 kills in a win against Tennessee and 28 kills in a win against LSU, before being named to NCAA Volleyball's "Rotation of the Week". The Rebels are now 8-1 in matches where she hits over .200.
MOKI MAGIC
After tallying 104 assists over two, four-set SEC wins against Tennessee and LSU, Mokihana Tufono earned her first SEC Setter of the Week honors on October 7.
Tufono opened the week with a career-high 54 assists in the win over Tennessee, while adding eight digs and two blocks. From there, Tufono added another 50 assists and 11 digs in the win over LSU, while also matching a career-best with five total blocks. Her efforts were particularly critical in helping Nia Washington rise to new heights, as Washington also set career-highs in back-to-back matches with 20 and 28 kills.
NIE-FENSE
Following a standout defensive performance in Houston, Cammy Niesen earned SEC weekly honors for the first time since 2022, as the junior libero was named the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week on September 23.
Niesen tallied 58 digs and 13 assists, while recording the 1,000th dig of her career during her award-winning weekend. Niesen was particularly impactful in the five-set win over Houston, with 19 digs and six assists, as well as notching 21 digs in the win over Texas A&M Commerce. With performances of 20 digs (Arkansas), 17 digs (Tennessee), 17 (LSU) and 15 (Texas A&M), Niesen tallied seven consecutive matches of 15 or more digs for the first time in her career.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Blocking runs in the Ratliff family. In four years, Ole Miss middle blocker Sasha Ratliff has established herself as one of the top blockers in program history, ranking first all-time in the rally scoring era with 453 total blocks, first in block assists with 363 and second in solo blocks with 90. A dominant force at the net, Ratliff has tallied 100-plus blocks in each of her last three seasons and is looking to do it a fourth straight time as she enters her fifth year as a Rebel. Her knack for blocking comes from her father, Theo, who was a shot blocker too. One of basketball's best, he ranks 20th in NBA history with nearly 2,000 blocks in his 16-year career.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Several Rebels are poised to etch their names in the all-time record books in 2024 across multiple different metrics.
Sasha Ratliff and Payton Brgoch are seeking to end their careers at No. 1 and No. 2 on the all-time blocks list (post rally scoring). Ratliff (453) has taken the No. 1 spot, while Brgoch sits at No. 3 (411) and just 25 blocks away from passing Nakeyta Clair (435) for No. 2.
Additionally, Ratliff and Brgoch also rank 3rd and 5th respectively on the combined blocks list. Ratliff sits behind Genevieve Shy (1993-96 - 502 blocks) and Julie Link (1983-86 - 484 blocks), who both competed during the sideout scoring era.
Junior libero Cammy Niesen continues to rewrite the record books on the defensive side by rising up the top-10 all-time in the rally scoring era.
Niesen stands at 1,155 career digs, which ranks seventh all-time in the rally scoring era and 10th all-time between both eras. Niesen is just 10 digs away from passing Elena Garcia and moving into sixth in the rally scoring era and ninth on the combined ledger.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.
The Rebels (13-5, 3-3 SEC) are coming off a sweep at South Carolina, while the Bulldogs (7-8, 1-5 SEC) enter on a five-match skid.
RALLY POINTS
- Wednesday's match will serve as an important conference measuring stick for the Rebels, who follow the matchup with contests against No. 14 Kentucky, at Auburn (RV) and at No. 24 Florida over their next three contests.
- Should Ole Miss secure a victory on Wednesday night, it would mark the program's best start in SEC play through seven matches since 2019, when they went 6-1.
- Sasha Ratliff is on the chase for 1,000 kills in her career, standing at 991 in her career. Ratliff ranks 10th all-time at Ole Miss in kills in the rally scoring era. Additionally, she could become the third Rebel ever with at least 1,000 kills and 400 blocks.
- Libero Cammy Niesen now stands at 1,155 career digs, which ranks seventh all-time in the rally scoring era and 10th all-time between both eras.
- Wednesday's matchup is one of two matches left for the Rebels on the SEC Network. The other is also against Mississippi State on Nov. 17 in Oxford.
- Ole Miss leads Mississippi State, 63-26 as they enter the 90th all-time meeting between the two SEC rivals.
- The Rebels and Bulldogs split last season's two match set, with the Rebels winning 3-0 in Oxford, while falling 3-2 in Starkville.
- Sasha Ratliff shined in both matches, with double digit kills in each, including 18 in Starkville, while Cammy Niesen notched 37 digs across the two matches. Julia Dyess added a double-double for the Rebels on senior day to secure the win in Oxford.
The Rebels earned their first SEC road victory of the season, sweeping to a 3-0 win at South Carolina on Friday.
Shayla Meyer and Nia Washington each added 10 kills to lead the offense, while Sasha Ratliff recorded a season-high seven blocks, as the Rebels utilized a balanced attack to keep the Gamecocks at bay. Mokihana Tufono added a double-double with 36 assists and 10 digs, while Cammy Niesen notched 16 digs on the defensive end.
RISING STAR
Nia Washington is in the midst of a breakout junior season and her play has elevated the Rebels to new heights, as they've surged past last season's win total by early October.
Washington has become a lethal hitter in recent weeks, averaging 4.18 kills per set in conference play, compared to her 3.48 kills per set average this season. The New Orleans native has three, 20-kill matches in her last five contests and has already blown past all of her previous career-highs across numerous categories so far.
Her play has gained her recognition on the national scale, as she tallied 20 kills in a win against Tennessee and 28 kills in a win against LSU, before being named to NCAA Volleyball's "Rotation of the Week". The Rebels are now 8-1 in matches where she hits over .200.
MOKI MAGIC
After tallying 104 assists over two, four-set SEC wins against Tennessee and LSU, Mokihana Tufono earned her first SEC Setter of the Week honors on October 7.
Tufono opened the week with a career-high 54 assists in the win over Tennessee, while adding eight digs and two blocks. From there, Tufono added another 50 assists and 11 digs in the win over LSU, while also matching a career-best with five total blocks. Her efforts were particularly critical in helping Nia Washington rise to new heights, as Washington also set career-highs in back-to-back matches with 20 and 28 kills.
NIE-FENSE
Following a standout defensive performance in Houston, Cammy Niesen earned SEC weekly honors for the first time since 2022, as the junior libero was named the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week on September 23.
Niesen tallied 58 digs and 13 assists, while recording the 1,000th dig of her career during her award-winning weekend. Niesen was particularly impactful in the five-set win over Houston, with 19 digs and six assists, as well as notching 21 digs in the win over Texas A&M Commerce. With performances of 20 digs (Arkansas), 17 digs (Tennessee), 17 (LSU) and 15 (Texas A&M), Niesen tallied seven consecutive matches of 15 or more digs for the first time in her career.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Blocking runs in the Ratliff family. In four years, Ole Miss middle blocker Sasha Ratliff has established herself as one of the top blockers in program history, ranking first all-time in the rally scoring era with 453 total blocks, first in block assists with 363 and second in solo blocks with 90. A dominant force at the net, Ratliff has tallied 100-plus blocks in each of her last three seasons and is looking to do it a fourth straight time as she enters her fifth year as a Rebel. Her knack for blocking comes from her father, Theo, who was a shot blocker too. One of basketball's best, he ranks 20th in NBA history with nearly 2,000 blocks in his 16-year career.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Several Rebels are poised to etch their names in the all-time record books in 2024 across multiple different metrics.
Sasha Ratliff and Payton Brgoch are seeking to end their careers at No. 1 and No. 2 on the all-time blocks list (post rally scoring). Ratliff (453) has taken the No. 1 spot, while Brgoch sits at No. 3 (411) and just 25 blocks away from passing Nakeyta Clair (435) for No. 2.
Additionally, Ratliff and Brgoch also rank 3rd and 5th respectively on the combined blocks list. Ratliff sits behind Genevieve Shy (1993-96 - 502 blocks) and Julie Link (1983-86 - 484 blocks), who both competed during the sideout scoring era.
Junior libero Cammy Niesen continues to rewrite the record books on the defensive side by rising up the top-10 all-time in the rally scoring era.
Niesen stands at 1,155 career digs, which ranks seventh all-time in the rally scoring era and 10th all-time between both eras. Niesen is just 10 digs away from passing Elena Garcia and moving into sixth in the rally scoring era and ninth on the combined ledger.
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Volleyball on X at @OleMissVB, on Instagram at @olemissvb and on Facebook at Ole Miss Volleyball. See exclusive photo and video content from behind the scenes and connect in real time with everything Ole Miss.
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Players Mentioned
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