MT Returns to AMG, Hosts North Texas and Marshall

Friday, October 31

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

7:00 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

North Texas

10/30/2014 1:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Blue Raider volleyball team (7-17, 3-7 C-USA) will return to Alumni Memorial Gym this weekend with a pair of Conference USA matches against North Texas on Friday at 7 p.m., and Marshall on Sunday at 1 p.m.

@MT_Volleyball vs. North Texas – 7 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video

@MT_Volleyball vs. Marshall – 1 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video

About the Blue Raiders

Last Time Out
Despite losing to a tough Rice squad in four sets on Friday, the Blue Raiders gave the Owls all they could handle on their home court. MT was led by junior Chelsea Ross who had 22 kills to go along with 10 digs for her 11^th double-double of the season. Freshman Morgan St. Germain paced MT with 19 digs, one shy of tying her career-high, and senior Ailime de Freitas notched a team-best 26 assists.

Tourney Watch
Five of the next six matches will involve teams that are in the mix for the 6th-8th seeds, while three (UAB, La Tech, Charlotte) of the opponents have a combined record of 6-25 in Conference USA action. MT is tied for eighth with UAB but can make up ground this weekend with the two key matches.

Savvy Shade
Sophomore Miri Shade has been playing well with injuries sustained by junior Rachel Shaughnessy and sophomore Jazmyne Johnson. The DeSoto, Texas native reached her season-high in kills (10) twice on the four-game road trip while hitting .346 against Rice on Friday. In the past three matches, she's started in all three contests while hitting 49 points (.146) better than her season average (.97).

Fabulous Freshmen
With the team garnering six freshmen this season, the Blue Raiders have had to rely on the newcomers heavily this season. Freshmen Jaqueline Lux and St. Germain have played all 94 sets this season with Lux leading the team with 349 digs and St. Germain posting 19 service aces, good for second on the team. Haley Morton and Maya Miller both have played at least 80 sets while Morton paces MT with 385 assists and Miller being one of four players to reach at least 100 kills (120).

Halloween Match
Friday's match between the Blue Raiders and Mean Green will be the Halloween match where free candy will be distributed and a costume contest will take place. Dating back to 1977, the Blue Raiders are 5-3 on Halloween.

Ross Ranked Nationally
The Murfreesboro native has been as Coach Peck would say a "workhorse" this season while leading the team with 399 kills and a kill per set of 4.24. She ranks 27th in the nation in kills per set and 9th in total kills. Her career-high 33 kills against Louisiana Tech (Oct. 5) is tied for the sixth highest in the country in a five-set match. Ross has moved up the all-time kills list with 1,289 career kills and is on pace to go into her senior year fourth all-time.

About the Opponents

Scouting North Texas (15-9, 6-5 C-USA)
The Mean Green have won their past three matches while dropping just one set in the process and is an even 4-4 on the road. North Texas sits in sixth place in C-USA while ahead of MT by 2.5 games. Carnae Dillard leads the team and the league with 460 kills and a kill per set of 5.29. She is also fourth in the nation as well. Amy Henards paces the Mean Green with 782 assists while Dillard has posted a team-best 282 digs ( 3.24 dig/s).

Scouting Marshall (11-14, 5-5 C-USA)
After starting league play 3-0, the Herd has slipped lately losing five of their last seven conference matches while posting a 2-6 mark on the road. Ally Kiekover leads the team with 258 kills while teammate Sammie Bane tops with 844 assists. Jillian Shemanski has a team-high 66 blocks and Allie Kellerman paces the Herd with 338 digs. Marshall will head to Ruston, La., to play Louisiana Tech on Friday before making its way up to Murfreesboro.

Series History

North Texas: The Blue Raiders are 10-7 in the all-time series despite the Mean Green winning the past three matches.Last seaon, the Mean Green defeated the Blue Raiders 3-1 in Denton.

Marshall: The Herd holds a slight 2-1 advantage in the series after Marshall edged MT in five sets in Huntington earlier this season. Sunday's matchup will be the first time the Blue Raiders face the Herd in Alumni Memorial Gym.

Next Up: Louisiana Tech, UAB

MT will travel to Ruston, La., for a road matchup against Louisiana Tech before turning around two days later to play UAB in AMG on Senior Day for the Blue Raiders' home finale.