Blue Raiders Drop Contest to Austin Peay, 3-0

Friday, August 31

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

7:00 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

1-3

Austin Peay

4-0

Austin Peay

Middle Tennessee

8/31/2018 9:24:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Brendan English, Athletic Communications Assistant

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee volleyball team drops its first contest of the Blue Raider Bash in three sets to Austin Peay on Friday evening.

Senior Bailey Mason controlled the Blue Raider offense recording nine kills, hitting on a .192 clip. The Forsyth, Ill. native also picked up six digs and one assist in the match versus Austin Peay. Likewise, senior Regan Coughlin added six kills to the Blue Raider total while redshirt-senior Vonnie Covington and freshman Julia Valdez added four apiece.

From their setter position, freshman Sarah Sumida (16 assists) and junior Taylor Hammill (12 assists) posted for a combined 28 assists and six digs in the match.

Coughlin (14 digs) and junior Brienna Tankesley (12 digs) maintained the back row defense for Middle Tennessee posting a combined 26 digs for the Blue Raiders.

In the first set, the Blue Raiders took control with a 3-1 run over the Austin Peay Governors with a pair of kills from freshman Samira Lawson Body and Mason. The set tied three times before Middle Tennessee created a 6-1 run over Austin Peay with two kills from Lawson Body to create a five-point Blue Raider lead over the Governors (12-7). Coughlin, Covington and Mason contributed the next three Middle Tennessee points to further extend the lead (16-12). However, the Governors battled back, creating a 7-4 run of their own to tie the first frame at 20-all. The Blue Raiders couldn't find their momentum to take back the set, falling to Austin Peay, 25-22.

The Blue Raiders were unable to clinch a set victory in the second (25-15) and third set (25-18) to drop the match to Austin Peay, 3-0.

Middle Tennessee will return to the Alumni Memorial Gym tomorrow to wrap up their home tournament. The team will face off against Troy at 1:00 p.m. before closing off the bash versing Stetson at 7:00p.m.