Friday, September 29
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
7:00 PM ET/6:00 PM CT
Liberty University
7-6,0-1CUSA
0
at
3
Middle Tennessee
9-5,1-2CUSA
1
2
3
F
Liberty
22
23
20
0
Middle Tenn.
25
25
25
3
Middle Tennessee Posts 3-0 Sweep Over Liberty
9/29/2023 10:07:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Liberty opened its initial Conference USA schedule with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-20) setback to Middle Tennessee, Friday at Alumni Memorial Gymnasium.
The Blue Raiders improved to 9-5 on the season, including 1-2 in Conference USA play. Meanwhile, Liberty (7-6, 0-1 CUSA) sustained its sixth straight loss after starting the season at 7-0.
Notable Numbers
The Lady Flames and Blue Raiders finish out this weekend's series tomorrow at 3 p.m. Eastern time.
The Blue Raiders improved to 9-5 on the season, including 1-2 in Conference USA play. Meanwhile, Liberty (7-6, 0-1 CUSA) sustained its sixth straight loss after starting the season at 7-0.
Notable Numbers
- For the match, MTSU outhit Liberty .360-.240. The Lady Flames led in kills (42-39), assists (41-36) and digs (35-29) while the Blue Raiders held an 8-2 advantage in blocks.
- Kayla Henley hit .522 with a match-high 13 kills for Middle Tennessee, followed by 11 kills from Adri Rhoda. Taylor Eisert dished out 30 assists, while Dasia Smith posted a match-high five blocks.
- Julia Mangum (.333) and Kate Phillips tied for Liberty's team high with 10 kills each. Delaney Dilfer led all players in assists (34), aces (3) and digs (10), earning her team-leading fourth double-double of the season. Kate Curtis collected nine digs, while Ananda Patterson hit 7-for-9 (.778) for the match.
- Liberty and MTSU battled back and forth in the second set, with 12 ties and seven lead changes. Kate Phillips tied the set at 19-all with a kill. The Blue Raiders then scored the next two points to make it 21-19. Both teams sided out from there on, and Middle Tennessee took a commanding 2-0 match lead with a 25-23 win.
- Middle Tennessee now holds a 2-1 lead in the all-time series against Liberty. The Lady Flames had won the last meeting, Sept. 17, 2016 in Richmond, Va.
- Dilfer has now recorded 27 career double-doubles, including 21 since joining the Lady Flames prior to the 2022 season.
- Phillips reached double-digits in kills for the second match in a row and sixth time this season. Mangum recorded her third double-digit kill match of the year.
- Liberty had not played a match since last Tuesday at Old Dominion, a span of 10 days between matches.
- The Lady Flames have won their conference opener four times in six years under current Head Coach Trevor Johnson.
The Lady Flames and Blue Raiders finish out this weekend's series tomorrow at 3 p.m. Eastern time.
Team Stats
Lib
MTSU
Kills
42
39
Errors
19
8
Attempts
96
86
Hitting %
.240
.360
Points
49.0
53.0
Assists
41
36
Aces
5
6
Blocks
2
8
Game Leaders
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
10
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's VolleyballMB
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