Middle Tennessee
11/4/2026 3:40:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Matches 26-27 • at Middle Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Tenn. • Alumni Memorial Gymnasium
Sam Houston (16-9, 7-5 CUSA) at Middle Tennessee (16-8, 7-5 CUSA)
Thursday, November 5 • 5:00 PM CT
Friday, November 6 • 1:00 PM CT
TV: ESPN+
HOW TO FOLLOW: Live Stats • @BearkatSports on X
Series vs the Blue Raiders: Series tied 2-2
HUNTSVILLE – Sam Houston wraps up the road portion of its regular-season schedule this week with a two-match CUSA series at Middle Tennessee, beginning Thursday night at Alumni Memorial Gymnasium in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
First serve for Thursday's opener is set for 5:00 p.m. CT, with the series finale set for 1:00 p.m. CT on Friday. Both matches will stream on ESPN+.
Following the series, Sam Houston returns home to close the regular season against WKU on Nov. 12-13 at Johnson Coliseum.
KATS OPEN SERIES AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE
- Sam Houston and Middle Tennessee enter the series with identical 7-5 records in CUSA play, part of a three-way tie for third place in the league standings with Liberty. The Kats are 16-9 overall and the Blue Raiders 16-8, and with the CUSA Tournament following next weekend's WKU series, both teams are racing for seeding position down the stretch
- The Kats are coming off a home sweep of Jax State to close October, winning both matches in straight sets on Friday and Saturday
- Chloe Monson leads the Bearkat attack with 337 kills, ranking second in CUSA in both kills per set (3.62) and points per set (4.02)
- Shaelin White leads CUSA in digs per set (4.49) and has totaled 418 digs while playing every set this season
SAM HOUSTON vs THE BLUE RAIDERS
- The all-time series is tied 2-2, with all four meetings coming since both programs joined CUSA. The teams did not meet last season, and Thursday marks the first meeting since Sept. 27, 2024
- Middle Tennessee won both meetings in Murfreesboro in 2023, while the teams split a pair of matches in Huntsville in 2024. Sam Houston won the most recent meeting 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 29-27) in Huntsville
- The Blue Raiders are led by outside hitter Sophia Henry, who has totaled 335 kills (3.72 per set). Middle blocker Michaela Dlouhá leads CUSA in blocks per set (1.35), and libero Marianne Garcia has totaled 374 digs (4.07 per set) with a team-high 37 service aces
- Setter Caroline Macander runs the Middle Tennessee offense with 548 assists (8.43 per set). The Blue Raiders split their most recent series at Missouri State, winning in five sets before falling in three
PREGAME NOTES
- Rachelle Reed ranks second in CUSA in blocks per set (1.22) with a team-high 113 total blocks, while Chelsea Butler ranks fifth in the league in blocks per set (0.99) and 10th in hitting percentage (.318)
- Bella Wood ranks fifth in CUSA in service aces per set (0.36) with a team-high 33 aces and is second on the team with 239 kills (2.60 per set)
- Setter Brenlin Garlitz ranks 10th in CUSA in assists per set (5.30) with a team-high 493 assists, adding 30 service aces and 178 digs
- Four Kats — Monson, Butler, Reed and Garlitz — have started all 25 matches this season, while White has played all 93 sets at libero
