Blue Raiders Fall to No. 20 WKU in Straight Sets

Saturday, March 20

Murfreesboro, TN

1:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

-58,46 CUSA

WKU

-150,90 CUSA

Western Ky.

Middle Tenn.

3/20/2021 4:25:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee volleyball team fell to No. 20 WKU Saturday afternoon at Alumni Memorial Gym (17-25, 15-25, 22-25).

Freshman Amelia Van Der Werff recorded her ninth double-digit kill performance of the season as she led the team with 10 kills. Van Der Werff also added two blocks. Marley Banton led the way defensively with eight digs and also tied a career-high in aces with four.

Middle Tennessee came out in front to open the match, leading 4-1. A 6-2 Hilltopper run gave WKU a 12-9 lead, prompting a Middle Tennessee timeout. Following the timeout, the Blue Raiders reeled off four-straight points to retake the lead. With the Blue Raiders down 18-17, WKU scored seven straight points to take a 25-17 set one win and take a 1-0 lead in the match.

Once again, Middle Tennessee opened the second set with a 2-0 lead. WKU responded with four-straight points to find the lead and slowly began to build on it. The Hilltoppers would roll to a 25-15 win in set two, lengthening its lead to two sets to none in the contest.

WKU began the third frame winning three out of the four rallies. Back-to-back kills from Emma Grever fueled a 4-1 run for the Blue Raiders to tie the match at five. The Hilltoppers immediately responded with a 5-2 run to take a 10-7 lead. Middle Tennessee would come back and cut the deficit to 21-20, but WKU halted the late-set come back to win four of the last six points to record the sweep, 25-22.

Middle Tennessee and WKU face off in the second match of the weekend Sunday at 1 p.m. The match will air on ESPN+.

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