Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Western Kentucky
Blue Raiders Host Western Kentucky Tuesday
10/16/2006 3:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Colossal, gigantic, massive, gargantuan, and huge, are just a few words to describe Tuesday's Sun Belt Conference East Division volleyball showdown between rivals Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky.
The rematch of the 2005 Sun Belt Tournament Championship match takes place Tuesday, 7 p.m., in the Alumni Memorial Gymnasium and pits the co-leaders in the SBC's heated East Division race.
Middle Tennessee dropped a heated title bout to Western Kentucky in the 2005 finals, 3-2, in front of a capacity crowd at The Alumni Memorial Gymnasium last November. It is a match that has stuck in the minds of the players and the coaching staff since.
"We have some unfinished business that stems from the conference tournament last year," said third-year Head Coach Matt Peck. "I think our team felt we could have won that match with Western Kentucky and (Tuesday) is the first step in getting back what we lost last year."
The top spot in the SBC East will be on the line when the two rivals meet thanks to a large weekend. The Blue Raiders continued their run with two shutouts during the previous weekend. Both Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky are unbeaten against East Division opponents.
Middle Tennessee is 16-5 overall, 7-1 in the SBC East, while the Lady Toppers are 18-7 overall and also 7-1 in the SBC East. While the match sets up a major showdown between the top two contenders to the East Division title, Peck says the most important aspect facing the Blue Raiders is the fact they do control their destiny in the chase for a championship.
"It is the great thing about sports that at times you can control your own destiny," Peck said. "We put ourselves in position to have this match mean a lot. Does it mean everything? No, but it sets a tone for the rest of the season."
The Blue Raiders haven't defeated the Lady Toppers since Nov. 5, 2000, when the club won, 3-1. It isn't a big worry for Peck; however, he would like to see his team get over the hump.
"Since I have been at Middle Tennessee we have beaten everyone in the Sun Belt Conference, except Western Kentucky," Peck said. "Maybe a little bit in the back of our mind is the thought that beating Western Kentucky would get us over that last hurdle."
Middle Tennessee will conclude its six-match homestand this weekend when it completes its lineup against SBC West Division teams, including Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana-Lafayette, and New Orleans.
