Volleyball wraps up home slate this weekend

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee volleyball team wraps up the home portion of the 2012 season this weekend against UALR and Arkansas State. The Blue Raiders host UALR Friday night at 7 p.m., looking to extend their winning streak against the Trojans to nine.

MT will honor the two seniors on this year's squad, Brandi Waller and Halie Vannoy, prior to Saturday night's match against Arkansas State at 7 p.m. Waller has played in 86 matches during her career, tallying 348 career kills. She has put down 142 kills this season, a single-season high. Waller had a career-high 20 kills at Austin Peay on Oct. 10. Vannoy has appeared in 110 matches in her career, collecting 518 digs as a defensive specialist. She has also tallied 50 aces in her career. Vannoy had 10 digs at UAB Tuesday night, her first match action since suffering an injury on Sept. 15.

The Blue Raiders enter this week at 4-4 in the Sun Belt after taking down Florida Atlantic and FIU last weekend. MT hit a combined .346 in the two matches, holding the two opponents to a .178 mark. Chelsra Ross had 33 kills in the two matches, hitting .324 as Katie Bange hit .532 with 28 kills.

Middle Tennessee swept the weekly Sun Belt awards on Monday for the first time in program history. Ross was named Player of the Week for the second time this season after averaging 5.17 kills per set in three matches. Bri McCombs earned her first Defensive Player of the Week award after averaging 4.17 digs per set. She had a career-high 28 digs in the Blue Raiders' match at Austin Peay on Oct. 10.

Arkansas State and UALR enter this weekend tied for first place in the Sun Belt west division. Both teams are 5-3 in the league after Arkansas State swept UALR 3-0 on Tuesday night. Arkansas State is 15-9 on the season and led by Jasmine Terry, who is fourth in the conference with 3.69 kills per set. UALR is 9-11 for the year, but have lost its last three matches. The Trojans' Edina Begic leads the Sun Belt and the nation with 5.36 kills per set.

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