MTSU to Host Alabama A&M for Home Opener on Wednesday

Wednesday, September 21

Murfreesboro, TN

6:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

Alabama A&M University

Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications

9/20/2022 10:11:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

By: Braydin Sik, MT Athletic Communications

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee volleyball team is staying home this Wednesday, September 21 for the home opener against Alabama A&M at 6:00 p.m. The matchup with Alabama A&M will be streamed for free on CUSA.TV.

Last week, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (10-3, 0-0 C-USA) won two of their three matches at the Red Storm Invitational and dropped their seven-match win streak against the host St. John's. Wednesday's match against the Bulldogs will be their final non-conference match of the season before hosting the ranked WKU Hilltoppers on Saturday.

Scouting the Alabama A&M Bulldogs | Watch | Live Stats
The Alabama A&M Bulldogs (1-13, 0-0 SWAC) have had a rough start to the season, being swept in 12 of their 13 losses. Their lone win of the young season was against a fellow HBCU, South Carolina State, in a four-set win at a neutral site. The Bulldogs bolster a large 20-women squad that includes 19 underclassman and one graduate transfer. A&M finished the 2021 season with a 5-23 record.

On the attack, freshman Bailey Duckett leads the way with a 2.43 kills per set average on a .074 attack percentage. Not far behind is freshman Caitlin Shaw with 2.03 kills/s on a .069 attack percentage. Their leading server is freshman Madison Reagins with eight total aces on the season for a .23 service aces/s average. The offense for the Bulldogs is 327^th out of 334 teams ranked in hitting percentage at a total of .088.

Defensively the Bulldogs average 1.36 blocks per set and allow a whopping .295 attack percentage to their opponents through 14 matches. The block is led by sophomore middle blocker Ryann Tolbert who has a total of 22 blocks on the season for a .59 blocks/s average. The libero for Alabama A&M averages 2.0 digs per set with a total of 72 through 36 sets.

The Blue Raiders are 3-0 against the Bulldogs all-time and last beat A&M in 2019. All three wins were sweeps.

Quick Facts

The Blue Raiders earned their first Power-Five win since 2014 after plucking the Boston College Eagles in four sets at the Red Storm Invitational. Freshman Adri Rhoda led the way with a career-high 19 kills on a .378 attack percentage.
Freshman Rhoda was named Conference USA Freshman of the Week for the third consecutive week on Monday. Rhoda led all conference freshmen in attacking, serving, and scoring. She finished the tournament with 47 kills on a .356 hitting percentage to go along with 14 service aces on a 1.17 aces/s average.
Junior Taylor Eisert and Rhoda were tabbed All-Tournament for their performances in Queens, New York. This was both player's second All-Tournament nods of the season.
Senior libero Marley Banton reached 100 service aces mark against the tournament host St. John's. She is now five away from tying Chelsea Ross's 25-point rally scoring program record for career aces, and is six away from taking the program record.
Rhoda has 33 service aces on the season already, giving her sole possession of fifth on the 25-point scoring era records list. She is 11 away from tying the current-record holder, Dora Peonia. She is third in the nation for total aces and is sixth for aces per set as of September 19, 2022.

Keep Up with the Blue Raider Volleyball Team
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