TSU Volleyball Falls to MTSU in Hard-Fought Five-Set Match

NASHVILLE, Tennessee --- The Tennessee State volleyball team fell in a hard-fought five-set match to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, 17-25, 25-23, 25-18, 19-25, 15-11.

The Tigers drop to 6-9 on the season, while the Blue Raiders improve to 5-11 overall.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Senior Rachel Henderson registered a career-high blocks with a match-high eight, surpassing 50 blocks on the season.
• Pierson posted her fifth double-double of the season with 12 kills and 10 digs.
• Three Tigers recorded double-digit kills – Khalia Jordan, 14; Johanna Kruize , 13; Pierson, 12.
• Three Tigers recorded double-digit digs – Pierson, 10; Gina Rivera Ortiz, 13; Destiny Washington, 13.
• TSU finished with 55 kills on 164 attempts with 22 errors, outpacing the Blue Raiders’ 54 kills and .144 attack percentage.

HOW IT HAPPENED

TSU went up seven points before the Blue Raiders could muster up a kill. Rachel Henderson answered their one point with a kill in front of the ten-foot line. MTSU picked up a few points to push the Tigers to go on a six-point run. TSU finished off the set hitting a .361 with 16 kills and only 3 errors. Big Blue’s strong start helped them to finish 25-17 over the Blue Raiders in set one.

Set two started with an offensive push by the Tigers, once again, creating a large lead over MTSU. Soon after, Middle Tennessee found some energy to power through the next two sets, leaving the Tigers behind as they won out 25-23 and 25-18, respectively.  

Henderson and Pierson paced the fourth set with a block. Although TSU did not kick off the set with a large point advantage, the Tigers kept the pace and repeated the efforts of set one with a .233 hitting percentage, 13 digs, three blocks and a service ace. Big Blue forced a fifth set with a great comeback in the fourth set, taking it 25-19.

The scoreboard read 8-7, Tigers up, at the switch of the final set. The one-point lead didn’t last long as the Blue Raiders pushed for a six-point run before TSU could answer with a kill. An error by the Tigers closed the match, MTSU winning 15-11.

MATCH NOTES

• In the all-time series versus Middle Tennessee the Tigers are now 2-34.
• The Tigers drop to 6-9 on the season as the Blue Raiders improve to 5-11.

UP NEXT

The Tigers re-enter conference play this weekend in Kean Hall as it host Eastern Kentucky, Friday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m., followed by a Saturday match at noon versus Morehead State.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS