Raider Volleyball Falls Twice to Close Wofford Invitational

Friday, September 14

Spartanburg, S.C.

3:30 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

Gardner-Webb

GWU

9/15/2018 1:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Middle Tennessee volleyball dropped a pair of touch matches to Gardner-Webb and Wofford to close out the Wofford Invitational on Saturday afternoon. For her efforts over the weekend, junior libero Brienna Tankesley was named to the Wofford Invitational All-Tournament team, posting 38 digs over the weekend to average 4.75 digs per set.

Key Blue Raiders versus Gardner-Webb
Bailey Mason – 19 kills (.256), nine kills, four blocks
Brienna Tankesley – 22 digs (4.40 d/s)
Samira Lawson Body – Third double-double of the season, 13 kills and 11 digs

Blue Raiders Drop Five-Set Thriller to Runnin' Bulldogs, 3-2
Middle Tennessee dropped its first contest of the Wofford Invitational to Garner-Webb in five sets (21-25, 25-14, 21-25, 31-29, 11-15).

After a disappointing first set loss, the team battled back to take the second set over the Runnin' Bulldogs. However, Middle Tennessee was unable to bounce back in the next two sets, despite a hard-fought battle.

Mason paced the Blue Raider offense notching a career-best 19 kills over the Runnin' Bulldogs while hitting on a .256 clip. Likewise, Lawson Body contributed 13 kills while Peonia and Huddleston contributed 7-apiece.

On the backrow, Tankesley dominated the Blue Raider defense, inking 22 digs in the match to average 4.40 dis per set. Lawson Body (11) and freshman Julia Valdez (7) contributed a combined 17 dig.

From their setter positions, freshman Sarah Sumida (25) and junior Taylor Hammill (20) posted for a combined 45 assists over Gardner Webb.

Key Blue Raiders versus Wofford
Aubrie Huddleston – 12 kills (.237)
Brienna Tankesley – 16 digs (5.33 d/s), one service ace

Middle Tennessee Falls to Wofford in Straight-Sets, 3-0
The Blue Raiders were unable to notch a set win over the Terriers, despite an intense battle and their final set going into extra points (23-25, 23-25, 28-26).

Huddleston notched a season-best 12 kills over Wofford while hitting on a .237 clip. Similarly, senior Regan Coughlin contributed nine of the teams 33 kills in the three-set match.

In the second match of the Wofford Invitational, Tankesley remained dominate in the back row averaging 5.33 digs per set (16). Coughlin (10) and Hammill (9) were also contributors to the Blue Raider defense, posting a combined 19 digs.

Up Next
The Blue Raiders open its conference slate next weekend, traveling to Bowling Green, K.Y. to face WKU before rounding off the weekend in Ruston, La. versing Louisiana Tech.