Blue Raiders to Take on Charlotte and #21 Rice to Close Out Regular Season

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee volleyball team is on the road for a match in North Carolina with Charlotte at 5:00 p.m. CT on Thursday. The Blue Raiders will head back home for Senior Day on Saturday to close out their regular season with a match against No. 21 Rice at 11:00 a.m. Both matches will be streamed on CUSA.TV.

Last weekend the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (15-11, 4-8) lost both of their matches in a Texas weekend series with UTEP and North Texas. Freshman Adri Rhoda went on to earn her sixth C-USA Freshman of the Week honor after leading all freshman in scoring, serving, and attacking again.

As the standings sit heading into this weekend, the Blue Raiders are currently in sixth. MTSU's match with Charlotte is going to be their biggest match of the season as it almost guarantees them a spot in the Conference USA tournament. The team's win over FAU guaranteed the Blue Raiders their first winning season since 2013.

Blue Raider Quick Facts

Rhoda has 61 service aces on the season already, giving her first place on the 25-point scoring era records list and fifth on the all-time list. She also ranks ninth on the 25-point era career list for service aces.
Banton currently sits at 1,229 career digs, giving her sole possession of first place in the 25-point era for career digs. She currently sits in seventh on the all-time list.
Oscarson holds the 25-point era record for single season solo blocks at 23 and counting.
MTSU currently ranks 12^th in the nation for aces per set and ninth for total aces this season. The Blue Raiders are also 40^th in the nation for hitting percentage (third in C-USA) with a .255 team hitting percentage.
The Blue Raiders are currently in sixth place in C-USA, needing to at least be in eighth to reach the conference tournament in a few weeks with two matches left in the regular season.

Scouting the Niners | CUSA.TV | Live Stats
The Charlotte Niners (10-14, 4-8 C-USA) are on a two-win streak after taking down FAU and FIU on the road this past weekend. Although their record does not reflect it, this Charlotte team has given a lot of fight to the top dogs this season, even taking Rice to five sets.

Charlotte leads the all-time series 7-4 and is 5-1 against the Blue Raiders at home. The Blue Raiders are on a two-win streak against the Niners after beating them in both matches at home last season.

Scouting the Owls | CUSA.TV | Live Stats
The Rice Owls (22-2, 12-0 C-USA) are facing eachother for the first time since the Owls beat the Blue Raiders in the second round of last year's conference tournament. This Rice team is the highest ranked team in conference and before playing the Blue Raiders on Saturday, will decide the C-USA regular season championship Thursday as they take on Western Kentucky in Bowling Green.

Rice leads the all-time series 9-2 and is on a seven win streak against the Blue Raiders.

Keep Up with the Blue Raider Volleyball Team
Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter (@MT_Volleyball), Instagram (@mt_volleyball), and Facebook (Middle Tennessee Blue Raider Volleyball).

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Players Mentioned

Adriana Rhoda

Middle Tennessee State University Athletics