Blue Raiders Edge Owls in Five Sets

Friday, October 29

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

7 PM

Florida Atlantic

-1014,29 CUSA

Middle Tennessee

-87,63 CUSA

Fla. Atlantic

Middle Tenn.

10/29/2021 10:25:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University volleyball team (10-14 2-9 in Conference USA) dropped a hearbreaker 3-2 to the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (8-7, 6-3 C-USA) on Friday night, despite a career-defining performance by junior setter Stephanie Young and outstanding showings from transfer outside hitter Christine Jarman and freshman setter Noelle Stephens.

Jarman was dominant once again on the FAU front line and led the Owls in both kills (16) and digs (15) while Young was spectacular on defense and in support and finished with a career-high 30 assists while adding 14 digs, 6 kills and an ace in what will surely go down as one of the finest matches of her collegiate career.

How It Was Decided

Set 1
Much like their previous match against WKU last weekend, things started slowly for the Owls at Alumni Memorial Gym as MTSU opened up a 9-3 lead. Jarman got on the scoreboard first for FAU with Aniya Harvey and Lauryn Green each adding a kill, but an ace by Camryn Vogler that sparked a quick 3-0 FAU run couldn't draw the Owls within less than four point, and Middle Tennessee led 15-11. Though Green would find kills on both of her next two swings, the MTSU defense prevented FAU from gathering any real momentum in the set, and this in turn denied any comeback opportunity in the opening frame. The Blue Raiders took set one, 25-18.

Set 2
The second set brought with it a blank slate, and the Owls responded in kind by bringing a whole new feel to the match as they stepped up their offense following a 9-9 tie and put the Blue Raiders on the back foot. Green was devastating on quick-set plays and claimed five kills in the period alone. Jarman and freshman Katelynn Robine fired away from the outside and the Owls found themselves ahead at 20-19. From here, FAU managed to deny a late MTSU effort to take the set after Robine put the Owls up 24-22, and evened the match at one set apiece.

Set 3
Set three saw the cleanest play of the evening by the Owls and they used it to their full advantage as they struck out to a 10-5 lead. Young's timing and connection with her teammates (both spoken and unspoken) was exquisite as FAU widened the gap through a pair of punishing strikes by Robine and another not-quite-famous decoy kill by Stephens. Young even found a block reminiscent of her own time on the FAU front line as she combined the Green for a big stuff at the net. MTSU mounted another late charge, but FAU was able to put the set away 25-21, to go up 2-1 in the match.

Set 4
The fourth set found a fired-up Owls squad that appeared primed to get the victory in Murfreesboro but they were met by a Blue Raiders side that was not about to let it be that easy. The Owls fell behind early in the set and were never really grasp hold of the situation as MTSU widened a 10-3 gap to 16-7. Even Young's three kills in the frame would not be enough to stem the onslaught and MTSU took the fourth set 25-16, tying the match, 2-2.

Set 5
The Owls's only previous five-set match this season came in their very first match against Stony Brook, and though they were in unfamiliar territory here against the Blue Raiders, the FAU squad played and acted as if they had already been there. This time FAU opened the scoring and rode that momentum and three Jarman kills to a quick 6-3 lead. After Alicia Hearn's blast extended the advantage to 9-5 all signs pointed towards an FAU victory. But it was not to be, MTSU fought back to re-tie the set at 13-13 before winning the final two points to take the set at the wire, winning the match 3-2.

Of Note