Blue Raiders wrap-up weekend with 3-0 loss to UNLV

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Middle Tennessee volleyball team wrapped up play in the Louisville Invitational on Saturday afternoon with a 3-0 (20-25, 19-25, 20-25) loss to the UNLV Rebels  at the KFC Yum! Center.

Ashley Adams led the Blue Raiders with 13 kills and three blocks. Tyler Richardson added five kills. Both Adams and Richardson were in on three blocks. Richardson was named to the Louisville Invitational All-Tournament Team. She hit .289 for the weekend and had a team-high 11 blocks.

Middle Tennessee (3-12) battled out of an early 3-1 hole in the first set to take a 7-5 lead on kills by Adams and Richardson. UNLV (7-5) came back to tie the set 9-9 on a Kaitlin Winters kill, then won the next four points to take a 13-9 lead. The Rebels grew the lead to five at 17-12 after a Sekola Falemaka kill and ace. UNLV took its largest lead at 20-14 on a kill by Daryn Glenn and won the set 25-20 on a Stephanie Thelen kill.

The two teams traded points early and often in the second set, playing to a 9-9 tie. After a UNLV block put the Rebels ahead 10-9, Anderton and Waller put down back-to-back kills to give the Blue Raiders an 11-10 kill. UNLV then won seven of the next nine points as a Falemaka kill gave the Rebels a 17-13 advantage. Middle Tennessee got within three at 19-16 on a Ross ace, but UNLV grew the lead to six, 22-16, on a Thelen kill. The Blue Raiders once again cut the deficit to three at 22-19 on a Rebels miscue. UNLV responded by taking the last three points of the set and taking a 2-0 advantage with a 25-19 win in the second set.

The Blue Raiders got off to a good start in the third set, taking the first four points and getting kills from Adams and Richardson.  Middle Tennessee led 6-4 when UNLV went on a 6-0 run that included three Madeline Westman kills to take a 10-6 lead. The Blue Raiders tied the set 10-10 on Adams' second ace of the match. UNLV led 13-12 when Ross put down a kill to tie the set at 13-13. Richardson then had a solo block ot give the Blue Raiders a 14-13 lead. Middle Tennessee grew its lead to four at 18-14 on a block by Adams and Brandi Waller. The Rebels came back with a 6-0 run, capped off by a block by Westman and Thelen, to go up 20-18.

Middle Tennessee tied the set 20-20 on an Adams solo block. Westman came back with a kill for the Rebels to give them a 21-20 lead. Kills by Glenn and Westman then put UNLV ahead 23-20. After a Blue Raiders error made the score 24-20, Westman recorded a solo block on match point to give the Rebels a 25-20 win in the third set and the match 3-0.

UNLV hit .260 to Middle Tennessee's .112 and had 40 digs to the Blue Raiders' 28. Glenn and Westman each had 12 kills to lead the Rebels. 

The Blue Raiders return home to open Sun Belt Conference play on Thursday, Sept. 20 against South Alabama. First serve at Alumni Memorial Gym is at 7 p.m. 

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