MT Opens Season with Blue Raider Bash

Friday, August 28

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

10:00 a.m.

Middle Tennessee

Cleveland State

8/27/2015 3:08:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Raiders Play Four Games in Three Days

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee volleyball squad will kick-off the 38th season this weekend with the 11th Blue Raider Bash on Friday. MT will open the season Friday morning against Cleveland State at 10:00 a.m. inside Alumni Memorial Gym.

Friday, August 28
@MT_Volleyball vs. Cleveland State – 10:00 a.m.
Live Stats | Live Video

Bowling Green (H) vs. Indiana - 12:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video

@MT_Volleyball vs. Bowling Green – 5:30 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video

Indiana (H) vs. Cleveland State
Live Stats | Live Video - 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 29

Notre Dame(H) vs. Bowling Green - 10:00 a.m.
Live Stats | Live Video

@MT_Volleyball vs. Indiana -12:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video

Notre Dame vs. Cleveland State (H) - 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video

Cleveland State vs. Bowling Green (H) - 7:30 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video

Sunday, August 30
@MT_Volleyball vs. Notre Dame – 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Live Video

About the Blue Raiders
Season Opener
MT will start its 38th season on Friday against Cleveland State with Head Coach Matt Peck starting his 12th campaign at Middle Tennessee. Peck boasts a record of 6-4 in season openers and a mark of 3-1 in AMG when opening up the season at home.

Blue Raider Bash
The Blue Raiders will host the 11th Bash this weekend, boasting a 16-12 mark during the tournament. MT finished 1-1 in last season's Bash that included a thrilling five-set victory over Belmont.

The Core is Back
MT returns six letterwinners from last season, including senior and 2014 First Team All-Conference USA selection Chelsea Ross. Senior Rachel Shaughnessy is back after an injury that shortened her 2014 campaign, and returns as the leading blocker with 70 swats. Sophomore libero Jacqueline Lux is back for her second season after leading the team with 425 digs and playing in all 116 sets. Returning for her sophomore season, Brianna Pannone is back and healthy after surgery. She led the team in assists over the first 13 games, and junior Miri Shade impressed the coaching staff during camp.

Freshmen Seven
After high turnover from last season, Peck signed seven freshmen during the signing period. The class has been described as "athletic and "volleyball-savvy from Peck. Three newcomers in Ashton Peck, Sabrie Sirmones and Delaney Gallagher all hail from the Volunteer State, while Delaney Taylor and Kenza Hall travel to MT from California. Elise Watford is from Alabama and Makila York traveled all the way from Trinidad and Tobago.

Ross in the Record Books
The Murfreesboro native heads into the season fourth all-time in kills with 1380 and with 20 kills would be one of four players with at least 1400 kills. If Ross tallies her season average of 460 kills this season, she'll finish second in program history. She's also on pace to finish in the top 10 in digs with 1,202, and would become just one of two players (Keke Deckard) in history to notch at least 1,400 kills and 1,200 digs in their career.

Scouting the Opponents

Indiana (0-0, Big Ten)
Led by ninth-year Head Coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruza, the Hoosiers finished 15-17 in 2014. Indiana returns five starters and 11 letterwinners from last season while 11 of 15 players are either a junior or senior. Senior Amelia Anderson led the squad with 312 kills and teammate Megan Tallman posted a team-high 1159 assists. Courtney Harnish paced the squad with 51 aces and Awele Nwaeze turned in 227 kills and 115 blocks for IU.

Cleveland State (0-0, Horizon League)
The Vikings are led by 16th-year Head Coach Chuck Voss, who led CSU to a 14-14 record last season. Ten letterwinners and five starters return this season for the Vikings. Outside hitters Christian Toth and Grace Kauth are back as the two combined for 500 kills, while Toth tallied 90 blocks and Kauth turned in 299 digs.

Notre Dame (0-0, ACC)
The only head coach to win National Championships on the sidelines in both men's and women's volleyball heads the Fighting Irish in his first season after spending 14 seasons at Washington. ND boasts a young roster with 12 of the 15 players being either a freshman or a sophomore. Sam Fry, who was a 2014 All-ACC Freshman member returns as the leader with 242 kilsl while Maddie Dilfer racked up 450 assists with 156 digs.

Bowling Green (0-0, Mid-American)
Danijela Tomic enters her fourth season with a young roster that has zero seniors. Four starters return for 2015 with six newcomers. BG's leader in kills, Nicole Slimko is back for her sophomore campaign while First Team All-MAC selection Jelena Sunjic is back as well. Sunjic led the squad with a .246 percentage.

Series History

Indiana: The Hoosiers hold the upper hand in the all-time series with a 2-0 all-time record. MT and IU last faced-off in 1998 with the Hoosiers winning, 3-0.

Cleveland State: MT and Cleveland State will square off for the first time this Friday.

Notre Dame: The Blue Raiders hold a 1-0 advantage in the series against the Fighting Irish. MT dealt ND a 3-1 setback in the 2013 Blue Raider Bash.

Bowling Green: The series between the Falcons and Blue Raiders are knotted at one-apiece after MT won in five sets in last season's home opener on BG's home court in the Hampton Inn Invitational.

Up Next: Utah State, San Francisco, Southern Utah
The Blue Raiders will hit the road for the first time at the Utah State Invitational in Logan, Utah. MT will do battle against host Utah State on Friday before ending the tournament the following day against San Francisco and Southern Utah.