MT Falls in Conference Opener to Marshall, 3-2

Friday, September 26

Huntington, W. Va.

5:00 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

-410 (01 CUSA)

Marshall

-79 (20 CUSA)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Middle Tennessee St.	25	24	20	25	10	2
MARSHALL	21	26	25	17	15	3

9/26/2014 7:55:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Middle Tennessee Volleyball team (4-10, 0-1 C-USA) fell in five sets to Marshall (7-9, 2-0 C-USA) Friday evening at the Cam Henderson Center.

The Blue Raiders will return to action against Southern Miss on Sunday at 1 p.m., at Alumni Memorial Gym for their conference home opener.

Senior Ailime de Freitas compiled a season-high 29 assists while junior Chelsea Ross led with a game-high 27 kills. Freshman Jacqueline Lux notched a game-best 22 digs and sophomore Jazmyne Johnson paced the Blue Raiders with three blocks.

The first set would be a close affair as there would be 10 ties and seven lead changes. Marshall took a 16-13 lead in the first set before the Blue Raiders strung together a 6-2 run to go ahead 19-18.

MT held onto the lead despite Marshall coming to within one 21-20, but a 4-1 spurt by the Blue Raiders capped off by a kill from Maya Miller gave MT a 1-0 lead heading into the second frame.

Much like the first frame, the second set would be just as close. The Blue Raiders would take a 24-23 advantage after Ross' kill brought MT to a set point. However, the Herd forced the game into extra sets and would tie the match with a 3-0 run to capture the second frame 26-24.

The Blue Raiders started the third frame with a 10-7 advantage after scoring three quick points while tied 7-7. But the Herd's seven point turnaround during a 13-6 run gave the home team a commanding 20-16 lead en route to capturing the third frame, 25-20, and a 2-1 lead in the match.

MT dominated the fourth stanza while jumping out to a 9-4 lead that wouldn't be relinquished. The Blue Raiders extended the lead to as much as eight with the 25-17 game- four victory while tying the match 2-2 in the process to force a fifth and final set.

Marshall took an early 6-3 advantage in the fifth set before the Blue Raiders cut the lead to two, 7-5, following a kill by Miller. The Herd would go on a 5-0 run to take a 12-5 lead in the fifth frame and never look back as Marshall would capture the fifth set, 15-10, and the match.