OPENING SERVE: After splitting two matches with Tarleton State last week, Dixie State (6-7/5-7 WAC) with finish its season with a two-match set against Chicago State University Monday and Tuesday.
 
It was a tale of two matches for Dixie State against the Texans last week as each team claimed one victory each via sweep.  The Trailblazers will look to return to .500 overall this season with a win in Monday's matchup and will have a chance to finish conference play at 8-8 with a win in Tuesday's game.  
 
Both matches will be played inside Burns Arena with Monday's match set to begin at 6 p.m. and Tuesday's match to start at 12 noon.  Live stats and streaming information can be found at dixiestateathletics.com.
 
KNOW YOUR FOE:  Chicago state enters the two-match series having played just four matches all season.  The Cougars are 0-4 on the season with losses coming against Utah Valley University and Tarleton State, all but one match coming via a sweep.  
 
Chicago State finished last season with an overall record of 6-25 and a 1-15 mark inside Western Athletic Conference play with the lone win coming against Utah Valley University.  The Cougars ended last season with losses in 18 of their final 19 matches.
 
The team consists of zero seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, and four freshmen.  Chicago State is coached by Tony Trifinov, who is in his first season at the helm after being named to the position last July.  
 
SENIOR NIGHT: With Tuesday's matchup marking the final home match of the season, the Trailblazers will hold senior night.  With the announcement from the NCAA that all fall-sports athletes will not lose a year of eligibility due to the postponed season, only one of the four seniors on the team will not be returning next season.  Sydney Johnson will be the lone senior departing the team after the season and, as such, will be recognized during senior night.  
 
Sydney has played in 83 matches during her four-year career in a Trailblazer's uniform and she will be remembered as one of the most aggressive outside hitters in program history.  Last season, she racked up a season career-high 177 kills, including a career high 18 kills in a four-set road win against Adams State University. 
 
This season, Sydney has totaled 67 kills, including a team-high 12 kills in a three-set sweep over California Baptist on February 16.  Her 67 kills are fifth best on the team and she has done so will tallying the best hitting percentage of her career.  
 
Over her career, Sydney has tallied 383 kills while recording over 1.8 kills per set on a .139 hitting percentage.  She has tallied 32 service aces, 165 digs, and 57 blocks while amassing 452 points during her time in a Trailblazers Uniform.
 
Sydney was selected to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Honor Roll in 2019 and 2018 and earned academic All-Pacific West Conference in 2017 as a freshman.  
 
In the words of Robyn Felder, "Sydney is the Energizer Bunny.  She is always going hard, always giving 110 percent and is the ultimate teammate.  Sydney has truly put her heart and soul into this program and epitomizes the mantra 'Outwork, Outtalk, Outhustle.'"
 
Sydney is majoring in business administration and will graduate at the end of the semester.

COACHING STAFF: Head Coach Robyn Felder (Eastern Washington, 2002; 138- 86 overall record) is in her ninth season at the helm of the Dixie State women's vol- leyball program. Last season, Felder led the Trailblazers to a 20-win season (20-8) and to a 3 seed in the 2019 RMAC conference tournament with a 14-4 conference record. 

A two-time Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year (2013/2015) honoree, Felder led the Trailblazers to their first-ever Pacific West Conference title and the pro- gram's third-straight NCAA West Regional appearance in 2015. The season before that, she led DSU to its most successful season in the program's Division II era as the Trailblazers played to a 22-9 overall record, which marked the first time Dixie State had reached the 20-win plateau in the program's NCAA-era. That season also saw her squad reach the 2014 NCAA West Regional final (Sweet 16). In Dixie State's first season as a full member in the RMAC, Felder led her team to a NCAA era school-record tying 22 wins (22-6) and subsequently was named the 2018 RMAC Co-Head Coach of the Year. 

Felder is joined on the DSU sideline by second-year assistant coaches Camilla Hafoka (Oregon State, 2010) and former DSU standout Makenzi Murphey (Dixie State, 2018). In addition, Whitnee Tupe (2nd season, Dixie State, 2007) returns to Felder's staff after a three-year stint as an assistant at Snow College, and Rick Reeve (BYU), is in his first season on the Trailblazers' staff. 

LAST TIME OUT:  After falling in three sets to Tarleton State University on Monday night, Tuesday's match against the Texans also ended in three sets, this time with Dixie State (7-8/6-8 WAC) coming out on top.
 
The Trailblazers struggled offensively in Monday's matchup with a hitting percentage of .129, over 60 points lower than their season average.  Tuesday's match saw Dixie State hit at a .222 clip while holding Tarleton to a .153 mark. 
 
Dixie State used a 5-0 run in the first set to grab an early lead, but Tarleton would fight back and tie the set at 17 before taking a 21-20 lead.  The Trailblazers rallied late in the frame and eked out a victory in set one 25-23.
 
It was a tale of two sides in set two for Dixie State.  The Trailblazers came out scorching and took a 15-4 lead.  The Texans came roaring back, however, and would cut into the deficit to trail 21-18 late in the set.  Dixie State would go on to win four out of the next five points and claim set two, 25-19.  
 
Set three was another back-and-forth session for the two teams. A 6-0 Texan run gave them an 11-8 lead, but Dixie State responded with an 8-2 run to take the lead back.  Tarleton State tried to rally near the end of the set, but the comeback would fall short as Dixie State slammed the door defensively and claimed a 25-20 set-three victory and its fifth sweep of the season.
 
Megan Treanor paced the Trailblazers offensively as she recorded her sixth double-double of the season tallying 16 kills and 11 digs.  Treanor also posted a career-high five service aces, giving her the lead for aces within the Western Athletic Conference surpassing Freshman Bryton Bishop from Utah Valley University for the top spot.
 
Whittnee Nihipali also got in on the fun as she earned her third double-double of the season with 12 kills and 10 digs.  Taela Laufiso was the third Trailblazer to record a double-double, her first of the year, with 35 assists and 10 digs, both career highs for the sophomore.  Mykenna Nelson had 26 digs to help the Trailblazers to victory.