Blue Raiders Fall to Western Kentucky 3-0

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee volleyball (3-8, 0-1 Sun Belt) dropped its first Sun Belt Conference match of the season with a 3-0 (30-27, 30-15, 30-23) loss to Western Kentucky (12-1, 1-0 Sun Belt) Friday at Alumni Memorial Gym.

Middle Tennessee opened game one with an explosive start. The Blue Raiders won the first game point and went through 11 ties before Western Kentucky started to pull away. With the game tied 14 all, Western Kentucky took the lead for good off an error by the Blue Raiders. Middle Tennessee was never closer than two points through the rest of the game.

"I think we played very well in game one," said head coach Matt Peck. "In fact I think we played well enough to win, we are just making too many mistakes in bunches."

The Blue Raiders appeared shell shocked in game two, and without rhythm. Middle Tennessee was tied once in the match at 1-1 but never got close again to the Lady Toppers.

Coming out of the locker room in game three, Middle Tennessee seemed more focused. The Blue Raiders had the match tied at 19 when Western Kentucky pulled ahead 20-19 off a kill by Christian Alli. It began a 7-0 rally by the Toppers and dug a hole the Blue Raiders couldn't get out of.

Senior outside hitter Dara McLean led the Blue Raiders with 12 kills and was the only Middle Tennessee player to have double figure kills. Libero Alicia Lemau'u had 17 digs.

The Blue Raiders were without the services of senior outside hitter KeKe Deckard who was injured last weekend. She is expected to return next week.

Middle Tennessee returns to action on Saturday when the teams hosts Troy at 3 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Gym.

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