Blue Raiders Capture Blue Raider Bash Tournament

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee volleyball moved to 10-1 on the season, and capped off its ninth consecutive victory, by defeating McNeese State (5-4) 3-2 (30-22, 25-30, 30-22, 25-30, 7-15) to win the Blue Raider Bash Tournament Sunday in the Alumni Memorial Gym.

The Blue Raiders faced a Cowgirl team that just wouldn't go away. After sailing through game one, 30-22, Middle Tennessee ran into a tenacious McNeese squad in game two. The Cowgirls took the split in game two, even though the team committed 11 errors.

Game three was a mirror of game one for the Blue Raiders, and the score reflected it 30-22. The Blue Raiders dropped game four as the Cowgirls kept pushing and took the game thanks to six costly Middle Tennessee errors.

Middle Tennessee refused to lose in game five. The Blue Raiders opened the game with a 5-2 run and extended it to 9-4 later in the game thanks to two Megan Carter service aces. All-Tournament selection Andressa Lyra closed out the game and the match with consecutive kills to give the Blue Raiders the victory.

Sophomore Victoria Monasterolo led all scorers with 16 kills in the match and also had 12 digs. Lyra added 15 kills and also scored a double double with 14 digs.

Tournament MVP Ashley Adams also recorded double figure kills with 12 kills. Middle Tennessee also placed sophomore Lindsay Sisco on the All-Tournament team.

The Blue Raiders head out onto the road for a mid-week game on Tuesday when the squad travels to Clarksville to take on Austin Peay. Match time is set for 7 p.m.

All-Tournament Team

Lauren Knoptka-IUPUI Tiffany Baker-McNeese State Trisha Seale-McNeese State Marquita Williams-McNeese State Lindsay Sisco-Middle Tennessee Andressa Lyra-Middle Tennessee Ashley Adams-Middle Tennessee (Tournament MVP)

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