Photo by Devin P. Grimes / MTSU Sidelines
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raider volleyball team (0-8) fell short of their first victory of the season on Tuesday night, as they were defeated by the Chattanooga Mocs (5-3) in four sets.
After falling behind early by losing the first two sets, Middle Tennessee rallied behind Regan Coughlin and Vonnie Covington to take the third set by a score of 25-17. Coughlin recorded two big kills to help give the Blue Raiders a 12-8 lead early in the set.
Even with the added energy from winning the third set, the Blue Raiders ran out of steam midway through the fourth, giving up a crushing 4-0 run that gave the Mocs an 18-11 lead that they would not relinquish.
When all was said and done, the Blue Raiders were on the wrong end of a 3-1 defeat, losing the final frame by a score of 25-15.
Coughlin led the team with 13 kills, while Covington matched her season-high in kills (seven).
Another notable performance was sophomore Taylor Hammill, as she chipped in 31 assists through the four sets.
Coach Chuck Crawford was impressed by Coughlin’s performance, although he expects nothing less from a captain of the team.
“Regan is really emerging as a leader, I’m very proud of her, for the fight she had today,” Crawford said. “She had 36 attempts, 13 kills and two errors. That’s what you would hope for from an upper class-man and captain. I’m really proud of her.”
While she had an impressive night, Coughlin knows that there is always room for her and the entire team to improve.
“(My performance) was good, but we can always do better, especially after we lose,” Coughlin said. “We just see the things we need to work on and get better at. (We need to) stay aggressive and be more aggressive. It was an okay game, but we know we can fight harder.”
The Blue Raider volleyball team continues their season Friday, as they travel to Morehead, Kentucky to play Troy and South Carolina State. The first match is set to begin at 1 p.m.
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