Blue Raiders Fall to ASU 3-1

JONESBORO, Ark. - Middle Tennessee volleyball's (15-12, 8-4 SBC) hopes of taking over first place in the Sun Belt East were dashed with a 3-1 (27-30, 33-31, 21-30, 21-30) loss to league leader Arkansas State (23-7, 10-3 SBC) Sunday at the Convocation Center.

Middle Tennessee falls to third in the Sun Belt East and is fourth overall, with one week remaining in regular season play. The Blue Raiders had a chance to move up in the standings after Western Kentucky, now 9-3, lost to Arkansas State on Friday 3-1. The ASU victory avenges a 3-2 loss the Lady Indians suffered to Middle Tennessee in Alumni Memorial Gym on October 1.

Middle Tennessee played a close game one as the game was tied at 25 and after two lead changes was tied again at 27. Arkansas State won the final three points of the game thanks to two kills by Giedre Tarnauskaite and an ace by Katie Peil.

The Blue Raiders came back to tie the match by taking game two after being down 23-28. Middle Tennessee tied the match at 28 off a kill by Dara McLean and tied it again at 29 with a block assist by Lindsey Sisco and Andressa Lyra. After ties at 30 and 31, the Blue Raiders won the final two points of the game off a kill by KeKe Deckard and an error by Arkansas State.

Middle Tennessee committed costly errors in games three and four and the Blue Raiders could never get on track to compete in the games. The Blue Raiders registered anemic hitting percentages of .079 and .078 in the final two games.

Deckard logged in a match-high 25 kills and also added 12 digs. It was her third consecutive double-double and eighth of the season. Fellow senior McLean added 12 kills, and Lyra and Sisco each had 10.

Middle Tennessee will play its final home match of the season on November 9 when the Blue Raiders host Georgia State in Alumni Memorial Gym. Match time is set for 7 p.m

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