DENTON, Texas (Nov. 1, 2016) – Texas Woman's University travels to Midwestern State Tuesday for a 6 p.m. matchup inside D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
 
TEXAS WOMAN'S (7-17, 3-12 LSC) at MIDWESTERN STATE (11-6, 5-10 LSC)
Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m.
D.L. Ligon Coliseum (Wichita Falls, Texas)
 
About the Pioneers
With five games remaining on the schedule, TWU is in a fight for a spot in the Lone Star Conference tournament. As of Monday, the 3-12 mark by the Pioneers has them sitting in a tie for 9^th place within the 11-team league, and eight teams advance to the tournament.
 
About the Mustangs
MSU is trying to hang out to their eighth place spot within the LSC, attempting to stay ahead of both the Pioneers and UT Permian Basin who are each two games back at 3-12. The Mustangs are 5-10 in league play with five games remaining on their schedule.
 
History between Texas Woman's and Midwestern
TWU holds a 35-12 all-time series lead over the Mustangs dating to the 1974 season. The Pioneers have won 10 straight over MSU, including this season's 3-2 victory at home Sept. 30.
 
Last meeting of TWU and MSU
DENTON, Texas (Sept. 30, 2016) – Anna McGee of Texas Woman's University registered a career-high 21 kills along with a career-best 15 from Courtney Noel to guide the Pioneers to their first Lone Star Conference victory of the season in a 3-2 win over Midwestern State Friday night inside Kitty Magee Arena.
 
The offensive efforts by McGee and Noel were accompanied by Sara Oxford's 14 kills to contribute to a season-high 66 kills for TWU (5-9, 1-4 LSC). Setter Katy Ranes assisted on 51 of the attacks for a consecutive 50-plus performance. Just as impressive as the individual totals were the rallies put forth by the team under dire circumstances. In the third set, TWU trailed the Mustangs 23-20 before ending on a 6-1 run to take the lead in the match, and the squad finished the night with eight straight points after facing a 12-8 deficit in the fifth.
 
Strong start fades for TWU in loss to Javelinas
KINGSVILLE, Texas (Oct. 29, 2016) – Texas Woman's University opened with a 25-18 set one win over Texas A&M-Kingsville but then fell in straight sets (17-25, 19-25, 18-25) to Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday afternoon on Hampton Inn Court.
 
The Pioneers (7-17, 3-12 LSC) hit well around the Javelina defense by allowing just three blocks from the team that leads the league in per set average with 2.31. Sara Oxford recorded a team-high 15 kills while Haley Collins and Courtney Noel each added 10.
 
Back-to-back kills by Noel began the offense for the Pioneers in set one before the Javelinas (20-7, 10-5 LSC) came back to take an 8-7 lead. Seven straight points by TWU produced a 14-8 lead until TAMUK closed to within 17-15. A Jade Akins back row kill capped a 6-0 Pioneer run for a 23-15 advantage and kills by Collins and Oxford ended the set.
 
Noel and Kerstin Jenkins registered kills and Katy Ranes served over an ace for a 4-0 TWU lead in set two, but the Javelinas soon evened up the score at 8-8. Another Noel kill put the Pioneers in front at 12-11 before six straight points by TAMUK opened up the set at 17-12. Collins pulled the Pioneers to within 18-15, but the Javelinas were able to tie the match at one set apiece.
 
In set three, TWU again started strong with a 4-1 edge, but TAMUK tied things up within the next three possessions. Oxford delivered a kill on a slide to make it a 13-12 game in favor of the Javelinas. A kill and three straight aces by TAMUK extended the lead to 17-12 before Briley Cole lessened the margin to 19-16 on a kill. An ace by Akins closed the gap to 21-19, but the Javelinas sealed the set with four straight points.
 
The Pioneers took leads at 9-5 and 11-7 in set four before TAMUK tied the frame at 11-all. Consecutive kills by Oxford handed TWU a two-point advantage and the teams remained close until TAMUK broke an 18-18 tie by rattling off the final seven points of the afternoon for the match victory.