MURFREESBORO, Tenn. ? The University of South Alabama volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (24-30, 12-30, 18-30) decision to Sun Belt Conference East Division leader Middle Tennessee Friday night at Alumni Memorial Gym.

South Alabama (9-16, 3-11 SBC) will next face Western Kentucky on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky.  With the win Middle Tennessee improves to 27-2 overall and maintains its lead in the East Division with a 14-1 in league mark.

Middle Tennessee’s Ashley Adams led all players with 17 kills on the night.  The Blue Raider outside hitter also did not record a hitting error in her 24 attempts and finished the night with a .708 percentage.  Brittany Blackwelder and Lauren Robbins paced USA offensively in the loss with seven kills each.  For the match, Middle Tennessee hit a blistering .422.  As a team, the Jags recorded a season-low hitting percentage of .071.  The Jaguar offensive attack was limited on the night by the front line of Middle Tennessee.  The Blue Raiders recorded 13 total blocks, including 24 block assists.  Sasha McGlothin led the way with a career-high eight block assists. 

GAME ONE: Middle Tennessee 30, South Alabama 24

South Alabama came out on fire in game one grabbing eight of the first 11 points.  Juliana Pallamin de Almeida led the way recording three of the first four points of the Jag run courtesy of three aces.  With USA, holding a five point lead later in the opener at 18-13, MTSU’s Ashley Mead ignited a 9-0 Blue Raider run.  Adams capped off the Middle Tennessee run with a pair of back-to-back kills to put the Blue Raiders up 22-18.  South Alabama was able to cut the deficit to 22-21 three points later after a combined block assists from Blackwelder and Robbins, but MTSU did not allow the Jags to get any further as they quickly stretched the lead back out and went on to take a 30-24 win in game one.

GAME TWO: Middle Tennessee 30, South Alabama 12

In game two, South Alabama came out and grabbed the early advantage again, this time reeling off five of the first six points.  With the Jags still holding a two point lead at 8-6, Middle Tennessee used another huge run to take the lead for good, this one a 14-2 spurt that put MTSU up 20-10.  The Blue Raider run was capped off by five straight combined block assists, the majority coming from the duo of McGlothin and Leslie Clark.  USA never drew any closer and Middle Tennessee went on to take a 2-0 match lead with the 30-12 victory in the second game.

GAME THREE: Middle Tennessee 30, South Alabama 18

Unlike the previous two games, MTSU was the one who took the early lead, jumping out to a 7-2 lead.  USA chipped away at the Blue Raider advantage, cutting the deficit to one on two occasions, but the Jags were unable to get over the hum.  Leading 12-11, Middle Tennessee pulled away for good with a 5-1 spurt over the next six points to go up 17-12.  Middle Tennessee went on to take the game and the match with the 30-18 victory.