Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Friday, September 30
Birmingham, AL
7:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
at
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Photo by: Braydin Sik/ MT Athletic Communications
Blue Raider VB to Take On UAB and FIU This Weekend
9/29/2022 10:13:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee volleyball team is set to play two Conference USA matches this week. The Blue Raiders will travel to Alabama for a match with UAB on Friday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. They'll be back home on Sunday, October 2 for a matchup with FIU at 1:00 p.m. Both matches will be available on CUSA.TV, MTSU's home matchup will be free.
Last week the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (11-4, 0-0 C-USA) won their matchup with Alabama A&M on Wednesday in a sweep, holding A&M to 42 points through the three sets, 19 of which being Middle's errors. Later in the week the Blue Raiders dropped a tightly contested match with WKU on Saturday.
Scouting the UAB Blazers | Watch | Live Stats
The UAB Blazers (6-8, 1-1 C-USA) split their opening weekend in conference, being swept by WKU and then sweeping Charlotte two days later. Four of the Blazers' eight losses this season have been in five sets, showing that they are better than their record says.
UAB has racked up a considerable amount of digs this season ranking 72nd in the country for digs per set (15.26). These high numbers could be a direct result of their 217th ranked block in the nation, only racking up 1.90 blocks per set. These low block numbers have allowed an opponent-attack percentage of .217 on the season, ranking 224th in the nation.
Sophomore Erin Powers has racked up a 4.70 digs per set average on the season, until reaching conference where she is averaging a 3.17 digs/s average through two matches. Against Charlotte, Powers hit home four service aces, a season high for the Wisconsin native.
UAB leads the all-time series 12-16, but MTSU owns a one-match win streak last playing the Blazers in 2019.
Scouting the FIU Panthers | Watch | Live Stats
The FIU Panthers (3-12, 0-2 C-USA) had a tough gauntlet for a preseason schedule, going 3-10 while taking on seven power-five schools.
Offensively the Panthers are led by graduate student Alyssa Wissinger in the middle with an attack percentage of .359 in conference play. Through two conference matches, the Panthers are averaging a .181 attack percentage along with a .63 aces/s average while allowing an opponent-attack percentage of .277 and a 2.13 aces/s average.
On the defensive side, the Panthers are getting out-blocked by their opponents 2.50 blocks/s to 1.13 blocks/s in conference play. Their libero, graduate student Katie Turner, is averaging 3.38 digs/s with 27 digs in eight sets. FIU only has one player averaging over .50 blocks per set in Wissinger, who averages .63 blocks/s in C-USA play so far.
MTSU leads the all-time series 26-11 and is currently on a five-match win streak against the Panthers, including three wins in-a-row at home.
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 last Monday. Rhoda led all conference freshmen in attacking, serving, and scoring. She finished the Red Storm Invitational 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 players' second All-Tournament nods of the season.
» Senior Marley Banton is only two aces away from tying the 25-point era program record holder, Chelsea Ross, with 105 career service aces.
» Rhoda has 38 service aces on the season already, giving her sole possession of second on the 25-point scoring era single-season list. She is six away from tying the current-record holder, Dora Peonia. She is third in the nation for total aces (39) and is fifth for aces per set (.76) as of September 29, 2022.
» The 11 non-conference wins this season before heading into conference play is the second most in program history, only being topped by the 2007 team that racked up 13 wins.
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).
Last week the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (11-4, 0-0 C-USA) won their matchup with Alabama A&M on Wednesday in a sweep, holding A&M to 42 points through the three sets, 19 of which being Middle's errors. Later in the week the Blue Raiders dropped a tightly contested match with WKU on Saturday.
Scouting the UAB Blazers | Watch | Live Stats
The UAB Blazers (6-8, 1-1 C-USA) split their opening weekend in conference, being swept by WKU and then sweeping Charlotte two days later. Four of the Blazers' eight losses this season have been in five sets, showing that they are better than their record says.
UAB has racked up a considerable amount of digs this season ranking 72nd in the country for digs per set (15.26). These high numbers could be a direct result of their 217th ranked block in the nation, only racking up 1.90 blocks per set. These low block numbers have allowed an opponent-attack percentage of .217 on the season, ranking 224th in the nation.
Sophomore Erin Powers has racked up a 4.70 digs per set average on the season, until reaching conference where she is averaging a 3.17 digs/s average through two matches. Against Charlotte, Powers hit home four service aces, a season high for the Wisconsin native.
UAB leads the all-time series 12-16, but MTSU owns a one-match win streak last playing the Blazers in 2019.
Scouting the FIU Panthers | Watch | Live Stats
The FIU Panthers (3-12, 0-2 C-USA) had a tough gauntlet for a preseason schedule, going 3-10 while taking on seven power-five schools.
Offensively the Panthers are led by graduate student Alyssa Wissinger in the middle with an attack percentage of .359 in conference play. Through two conference matches, the Panthers are averaging a .181 attack percentage along with a .63 aces/s average while allowing an opponent-attack percentage of .277 and a 2.13 aces/s average.
On the defensive side, the Panthers are getting out-blocked by their opponents 2.50 blocks/s to 1.13 blocks/s in conference play. Their libero, graduate student Katie Turner, is averaging 3.38 digs/s with 27 digs in eight sets. FIU only has one player averaging over .50 blocks per set in Wissinger, who averages .63 blocks/s in C-USA play so far.
MTSU leads the all-time series 26-11 and is currently on a five-match win streak against the Panthers, including three wins in-a-row at home.
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 last Monday. Rhoda led all conference freshmen in attacking, serving, and scoring. She finished the Red Storm Invitational 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 players' second All-Tournament nods of the season.
» Senior Marley Banton is only two aces away from tying the 25-point era program record holder, Chelsea Ross, with 105 career service aces.
» Rhoda has 38 service aces on the season already, giving her sole possession of second on the 25-point scoring era single-season list. She is six away from tying the current-record holder, Dora Peonia. She is third in the nation for total aces (39) and is fifth for aces per set (.76) as of September 29, 2022.
» The 11 non-conference wins this season before heading into conference play is the second most in program history, only being topped by the 2007 team that racked up 13 wins.
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).
Players Mentioned
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