MT defeated by UCF in Four Sets

Friday, September 5

Manhattan, Kan.

10:00 a.m.

Middle Tennessee

1-3

UCF

5-0

Middle Tennessee

UCF

9/5/2014 1:08:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Middle Tennessee volleyball team fell 3-1 to UCF Friday morning inside the Bramlage Coliseum at the Varney's Invitational. MT slips to 1-4 on the year while UCF moves to 5-0.

Junior Chelsea Ross notched game-highs in kills (15), digs (10), and services aces (4) while setting a season-high with a .282 hitting percentage on the way to picking up her first double-double of the season.

Junior Rachel Shaughnessy notched a game-best six blocks, and freshmen Brianna Pannone and Haley Morton paced the Blue Raiders with 19 and 15 assists, respectively.

The first set was close early as both teams went back and forth before UCF went on a 9-4 run to take a commanding 13-8 advantage.

MT closed the gap to one on two separate occasions at 19-18 and 20-19 followed by a kill from Ross. However, the Knights scored five of the next six points to take the set 25-20 and take a 1-0 lead in the match.

Much like the first set, the Knights took control of the second frame after breaking an 8-8 tie. UCF kept MT from getting anything going and outscoring the Blue Raiders 17-9 the rest of the way to pull within one set of taking the match.

En route to the Blue Raiders taking the third frame, both teams went back and forth for majority of the set. There was 11 ties and five lead changes as a 9-3 run while tied 16-16 propelled the Blue Raiders to capture the frame 25-19 and cut the Knights' lead to 2-1.

UCF would end any chances of MT forcing a fifth set as the Knights led throughout the final frame. MT cut the lead to two, 8-6, after a kill by Miri Shade that was set up by Morton.

That was as close as the Blue Raiders would get after a 9-0 run gave the Knights a 17-6 advantage and eventually taking the set 25-18 and the match.

The Blue Raiders return to the court tonight at 7 p.m. against host Kansas State. You can follow live stats by clicking here and can listen to the match via audio by tuning in here.