Tennessee State Preview

Belmont (2-8) vs. Tennessee State (8-1) | Tuesday, Sept. 21 | 6 p.m.

ESPN+ | Live Stats | Match Notes

Curb Event Center | Nashville, Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont University volleyball returns home after a long stretch of road games to host Tennessee State on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. in the Curb Event Center. 

The Bruins, who have played seven straight games away from home since hosting Indiana State on Sept. 4, will be looking for their third straight win over the Tigers in the all-time series. 

The match will be the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both teams, and will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Noah Syverson and Ellie Ivancich on the call. 

What's Bruin 

• Since opening the season with two wins over Alcorn State and North Alabama at home on the first weekend of September, the Bruins have lost eight straight matches 

• Belmont most recently competed at the War Eagle Invitational in Auburn, Ala., this past weekend. The Bruins were swept by Nicholls State, Florida A&M, and Auburn 

• In Belmont's match against Florida A&M, the Bruins hit nearly every statistical goal they set for themselves, hitting a season-high .241 with eight blocks and just 13 attack errors, their second-fewest total of the season. Yet, the Rattlers played flawlessly and gave the Bruins a disappointing 3-0 defeat 

• Mary Catherine Ball was named to the War Eagle Invitational All-Tournament Team after picking up nine kills, ten digs, and five blocks over the course of the weekend, including a career-high four blocks against Florida A&M 

• The Bruins have been putting up solid block totals, but were limited in that category somewhat this past weekend. The Bruins picked up 14 blocks through the three matches, with eight coming against Florida A&M. Belmont now sits at 5th in the OVC in blocks per set at 2.06, just a hair behind first-place Tennessee Tech at 2.15 blocks per set 

• Belmont struggled mightily in two of their opening sets at the War Eagle Invitational this past weekend. The Bruins fell 10-25 to Nicholls State and 8-25 to Auburn in the first sets of the first and third matches of the tournament, respectively. The ten points against Nicholls and the eight points against Auburn were the two fewest point totals for Belmont in any set this season. 

• The Bruins will try to get back on track defensively after allowing opponents to hit at least .281 in four of the last five contests 

• Laura Shoopman is 9th in the OVC in kills per set (2.90) 

• Shoopman, it was announced Monday, was named a Trane September Student Athlete of the Month, given to the top two Belmont student-athletes who exemplify excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, and integrity 

• Tuesday's matchup will be the 40th meeting between Belmont and Tennessee State all-time. The Bruins lead the series 25-14. 

• Belmont's 39 previous matches against Tennessee State is the second-highest total for the Bruins against any opponent. After the Battle of the Boulevard contest with Lipscomb earlier this season, the Bruins have now played the Bisons 45 times. 

About the Tigers 

• Tennessee State is off to one of their best starts in recent memory, gathering eight wins in their first nine contests 

• The Tigers have played just one home match this season, in what ended up being a loss to Evansville, their only blemish on the year. The Tigers are 4-0 on the road and 4-0 in neutral venues 

• Tennessee State got their most thrilling win of the season on Friday, when they came back from down 0-2 to UT-Arlington to win in five sets. The Tigers won set three, 29-27, before taking set four, 27-25 to force a decisive fifth set, one the Tigers won, 15-9. 

• The Tigers lead the conference in both hitting percentage (.233) and opponent hitting percentage (.147) 

• Aniya Williams has been statistically one of the best players in the OVC. Last season, the senior middle blocker from Texas finished 2nd in hitting percentage (.325) and has returned to that same form this fall, sitting at 4th for kills per set (3.58), 2nd in hitting percentage (.313), and 3rd in blocks per set (1.13) 

• Carla Boudal is 2nd in the OVC in service aces, with 15 in 31 sets 

• Belmont will make the short trip to Kean Hall to finish out the season series with the Tigers on Oct. 12 

Up Next 

Belmont will welcome the University of Tennessee at Martin to the Curb Event Center on Friday night to play the first of two games on the weekend against the Skyhawks. Friday night's contest is scheduled for 6:00 p.m., while Saturday afternoon's game will be at 2:00 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.