Middle Tennessee closed its 2026 home volleyball schedule with a 3-1 victory over Sam Houston on Friday. While both teams head into the final regular season weekend tied for fourth place with identical 8-6 conference records, Middle Tennessee holds the tiebreaker over the Bearkats after defeating Missouri State on October 30.
Performance Leaders
The Blue Raiders relied on a dominant offensive performance from Sophia Henry, who recorded another double-double after Thursday. Henry tallied 22 kills and 10 digs, effectively outpacing the Bearkats’ Chloe Monson, who finished with seven kills. With this performance, Henry moved to the top of the Conference USA leaderboard with 373 total kills this season.
Supporting the offensive effort, Caroline Macander contributed 22 assists and 12 digs, while Jaslyn Reed reached double digits with 10 kills. The team maintained a high level of efficiency throughout the four-set match, finishing with an 8-2 record for the season in matches decided in four sets.
Set-by-Set Match Progression
Middle Tennessee set the tone early, taking the first set 25-15 following a decisive kill from Trinniti Stevens. Although Sam Houston responded by winning the second set 25-19 to level the match, the Blue Raiders regained control in the third frame. A 25-13 victory in the third set, punctuated by an ace from freshman Marianne Garcia, shifted momentum permanently. Garcia finished the contest with four aces.
The Blue Raiders sealed the match with a 25-17 win in the fourth set. This result brings the all-time series between the two programs to a 3-3 deadlock.
Remaining Schedule and Tournament Seeding
The win serves as a response to a frustrating loss the previous day, which head coach Alexa Keckler noted was a missed opportunity to clinch a higher playoff seed. With the regular season nearly complete, the focus now shifts to the final regular season weekend.
Middle Tennessee travels to Atlanta, Georgia, on November 13-14 to face Kennesaw State in a crucial weekend for Conference USA Tournament seeding. Fans can follow the matches via ESPN+ or track live statistics through StatBroadcast.
Middle Tennessee Holds Tiebreaker over Bearkats
What determines the tiebreaker between Middle Tennessee and the Bearkats?
Middle Tennessee holds the tiebreaker after defeating Missouri State on October 30, while Sam Houston was swept by the Bears on October 9-10.
Where can viewers watch the upcoming matches against Kennesaw State?
The two-game series in Atlanta will be broadcast on ESPN+. Live statistics for both matches will be available through StatBroadcast.
How does this win affect the Blue Raiders’ CUSA tournament outlook?
Middle Tennessee remains tied for fourth place in the conference but holds the tiebreaker over the Bearkats. The final two matches against Kennesaw State will be pivotal for the team’s seeding in the postseason.
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