Middle Tennessee fell to Florida Atlantic three sets to none in Boca Raton, Florida, clocking the team’s seventh loss since the Seton Hall Classic last month.
Florida Atlantic stole the momentum away from the Blue Raiders early in set one. Senior Chelsea Ross entered the game with three encouraging kills. The Owls soon took the lead with a kill from FAU sophomore Nicole Unger, and after several service errors from MT. FAU junior Katerina Stepanovic and Kristina Rankovic performed well deep into the first set, taking it at 25-17.
Blue Raider service errors and well placed kills from FAU pushed the Owls ahead by eight points deep into the second set. Both were tied at 7-7 until two kills and an error from junior Eseta Maka provided a three-point lead. This performance transitioned into the third and final set. FAU would win the second set at 25-19.
Both teams struggled to maintain an advantage until a kill from Rankovic and another error from Maka put the score at 17-16. An attack error from Rankovic tied the set at 18-18 but was soon aided by three quick FAU kills to give the Owls a 21-18 lead. Middle Tennessee seemed to lose pace with FAU near the set’s conclusion and took a timeout with the score at 23-21. The Owls swept up the match three sets to zero and the set at 25-22.
Rankovic led with 12 kills this match. Ross was behind her with 11.
Middle Tennessee volleyball will travel to play Rice October 24 at 6 p.m. for the team’s second matchup of the season.
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