Lady Flames to Host Middle Tennessee in CUSA Opener
9/23/2026 10:59:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
LYNCHBURG, Va. - Liberty (8-4) opens up Conference USA play with a pair of home matches against Middle Tennessee (9-3), Friday and Saturday.
Quick Hits
Team Notes
Quick Hits
- The Lady Flames have won four matches in a row, outhitting opponents by a combined .246-.134 during that span. Liberty most recently swept North Alabama in a pair of home matches last week. Middle Tennessee enters on a five-match winning streak, with all five matches going four sets.
- Liberty was predicted second in the 2026 CUSA Preseason Coaches' Poll, while Middle Tennessee tied for eighth.
- The Blue Raiders lead Liberty 5-3 in the all-time series, although these two teams split the season series each of the last two years. Last season, Middle Tennessee edged Liberty 3-2 at home on Oct. 17 before the Lady Flames won in five sets the following day.
- This weekend's matches feature the reigning CUSA Offensive (MT's Sophia Henry) and Defensive (Liberty's Alison Bierwagen) Players of the Week.
- Bierwagen became the first Liberty setter to be named conference defensive player of the week, averaging 5.0 digs per set while only playing half the rotations. She has recorded four straight double-doubles.
- Freshman libero Melis Ural ranks seventh in CUSA with 3.68 digs per set overall. She has posted 20 straight 10-dig matches, the first Lady Flame since 2024 with 10 consecutive 10-dig contests.
- Both of Liberty's setters (Alison Bierwagen, Charli Crowson) posted double-doubles on Friday against North Alabama, combining for 29 assists and 29 digs.
- Layla Collins hit .500 in both matches against North Alabama, totaling 13 kills and two attack errors.
Team Notes
- Starting with a 3-1 come-from-behind win over Fairfield on Sept. 12, Liberty has won each of its last nine sets in a row. That is the most consecutive sets won since Liberty won nine straight sets spanning four matches, Oct. 28 through Nov. 3, 2023.
- Through the first eight matches this season, Liberty held a 4-4 record, being outhit by opponents a combined .265-.229. In the last four matches, all Liberty wins, the Lady Flames have outhit opponents .246-.134. The Lady Flames have also vastly improved defensive numbers over the last four matches, averaging 17.0 digs per set and 2.80 blocks per set during that span.
- Prior to last year, the last time Liberty came back from a 2-0 deficit to win a match was 2016. The Lady Flames have posted two reverse sweeps under second-year Head Coach Jeremy White, going 11-2 in five-set matches during his tenure.
- Last season, only three Lady Flames (Carly O'Brien, Jenna Otts and Paige Overcash) recorded at least one double-digit kill match. Through six matches this year, Liberty has already gotten at least one 10-kill match from six players (Layla Collins, Laney Daniell, Addison Hart, Carly O'Brien, Jenna Otts and Paige Overcash).
- After returning just 16.3 percent of its point production from 2024 to 2025, the Lady Flames bring back 86.8 percent of their point production from 2025 into this season.
- Liberty was voted second in the 2026 CUSA Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving one first-place vote. 2025 CUSA All-Conference second team selections Carly O'Brien, Jenna Otts and Paige Overcash all appeared on the 2026 CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team.
Players Mentioned
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MB
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MB
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OH
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OH/RS
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OH
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DS/L
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