Final Stats

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Missouri State hit a season-high .337 as a team Sunday afternoon to earn a sweep of Middle Tennessee by scores of 25-23, 25-16 and 25-21 at Alumni Memorial Gym. Missouri State improved to (7-3) on the season, while the Blue Raiders fell to 1-9.

The Bears were error-free with seven kills on their first 11 swings to a 10-6 lead in the first set, and held off each MT comeback try for the two-point win. The Blue Raiders closed to within a single point on five occasions but never tied, as Lynsey Wright's fifth kill secured the victory. Paige Perego added five kills in the set as well, doing so on five attempts.

Missouri State's 4-0 run for a 10-6 lead in the second set gave the Bears the lead for good as Middle Tennessee pulled no closer than 12-10 from there. Lily Johnson's ace capped a 3-0 run with a 15-10 lead, and Perego nailed consecutive kills for 17-11 as MSU pulled away on the strength of a .500 team hitting percentage.

MSU led wire-to-wire in the third set, jumping ahead 10-5 and staying ahead by at least two points for the duration. The Blue Raiders made a late charge to close to 23-21, but Kinsey Batten answered with a kill and Johnson followed with the winning ace.

Johnson led the Bears with 12 kills, tying Michelle Witzke's school record of 23 consecutive matches with at least 10 kills. Perego hit .533 with a career-high 11 kills, and Wright hit .600 with 10 kills.

Missouri State piled up 50 kills in the three sets compared to 36 for MT, and held leads of 41-31 in total digs and 7-1 in service aces thanks to two apiece from Batten, Johnson and Elise Munroe.

The Bears open play at the Jayhawk Classic in Lawrence, Kan., on Friday at 4 p.m. against UMKC.