The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Middle Tennessee
Blazer Volleyball Returns to Bartow to Take on MTSU
9/29/2022 2:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM –UAB Volleyball returns home from the Queen City to take on the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. in Bartow Arena. The Blazers, who closed out with a win over the Charlotte 49ers, look to continue their momentum from the Sunday afternoon win.
The Blazers not only celebrated the win, but they celebrated the milestone of Fernanda Maida's 1000th kill over the 49ers. Maida, who has attended UAB all four years, is one of the first athletes to reach the 1000-kill mark under Freeburg's reign.
"We are looking forward to being back in Bartow again this Friday and are looking forward to an opportunity to compete against a team we haven't seen yet in the regular season due to COVID," said head coach Betsy Freeburg. "UAB and Middle Tennessee have a longstanding rivalry, and we are excited to rekindle that match up!"
UAB (6-8, 1-1 C-USA) vs. Middle Tennessee (11-4, 0-1 C-USA)
Sept. 30 | 7 p.m. | Bartow Arena | Birmingham, Ala.
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SCOUTING THE BLUE RAIDERS
The Blazers and Blue Raiders matchup goes back to 2001, where the two teams first met with a resulting 3-1 win over MTSU. The Blue Raiders and Blazers periodically met throughout the years before MTSU became full members of Conference USA in 2013. Throughout this time, Middle Tennessee kept the upper hand, with a total of 11 wins to UAB's nine. The last meeting between the two teams came in 2019.
Last season, the Blue Raiders finished second in the Eastern region of the conference with a 6-6 record and an overall record of 9-12. They closed out the conference tournament with a loss to Rice but would have an invite to the NIVC postseason. This year, MTSU has already seen improvement from its 2021 campaign having won more matches now than they did the last.
On the offensive, Freshman Adri Rhoda has made strides since joining the Blue Raiders, leading the team in kills. Rhoda comes from Hutchinson High School, where she was All-State and the all-time leader in kills at her school. On the flip side, C-USA Libero of the Year, Marley Banton returns to MTSU leading in digs with 231 total as of Sept. 27. Banton has averaged 4.7 digs per set for the Blue Raiders, helping them to a team average of 12.4 digs per set.
MTSU entered conference play taking on the WKU Hilltoppers, falling to them in a straight-set loss. However, there were notable performances from the aforementioned Rhoda and Banton. Rhoda tallied up a total of 40 service aces, while Banton is on track to tie for the program record in aces in the 25-point era.
QUOTES FROM BETSY FREEBURG
"We are working on continuing our improved passing performance and offensive output from Charlotte while working on improving our team defense. MTSU has a very balanced offense with a lot of people who can score, and they are going to challenge us to move quickly between the offensive and defensive phases of the game."
EDUCATOR NIGHT
The Friday Night Matchup will provide an opportunity for fans to donate children's books at the marketing table by the gold wall. Those who donate a children's book will receive a $3 Ticket in return for entry.
2022-23 GOLD CARD
Purchase the 2022-23 Gold Card for $65 here. The 2022-23 Gold Card will get you access to all home events for Women's Soccer, Men's Soccer, Volleyball, Women's Basketball, Softball, and Baseball (Regions Field & Young Memorial). This card is not valid for Conference USA or NCAA Championship events.
To keep up with the UAB Volleyball team, follow @UAB_VB on Instagram and Twitter.
