MT was having none of that. It won its 14th straight with an offense that was too fast for Hawai'i (27-6), a defense that seemed to be everywhere and honorable mention All-American Ashley Adams. She finished with 22 kills and hit .306 against the 'Bows, throwing in eight stuffs, nine digs and setting in her spare time.

The subregional final was watched by about 180 at Kentucky International Convention Center.

The Blue Raiders owned this one from the moment they got rid of their jitters with a three-straight-stuff series early in Game 1. The teams shared errors through eight ties in Game 1, the last at 15. Then MT put it into overdrive, erased its mistakes and scored five points in a row with Ashley Waugh serving to take a 22-16 lead.

The Rainbows never truly recovered. They gave Middle Tennessee 15 points in the first game on errors, violations, drops and shanks. The Blue Raiders did not need the help, getting five blocks on their own and five kills from Adams, the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.

It only got worse for the 'Bows in Game 2. Buoyed by their upset of 24th-ranked Louisville Friday and the ease of their first-game victory, the Blue Raiders scored the first three points of Game 2. Adams was in on all three, stuffing UH All-American Jamie Houston twice and bashing another kill.

She would have six kills in the second game, without an error, helping her team to a .412 hitting percentage, Hawai'i was at .043 — 67 points higher than the opening game, MT broke it open with eight straight points to go up 14-6. Hawai'i would not get within seven again.

The 10-minute break between Games 2 and 3, and a UH attack that kept the ball in, finally brought the Blue Raiders back to earth. Adams missed two of her first three swings and had but one kill in the third game as Hawai'i quickly proved it wasn't going away. The 'Bows never trailed and scored 22 of the final 29 points.

They hit .486 and got their first ace at the 72-minute mark in the match. It was quickly followed by two more as MT's passing, which had been nearly perfect, faded to the point where it actually passed one serve backwards. Houston ended it with three straight kills, giving her 18.

But as quickly as MT lost it, it got it back, scoring the first four points of Game 4. Worse yet for UH, Adams found her range again. She had five kills as the Blue Raiders pulled to a 13-9 advantage.

Hawai'i wasn't through. It tied the game at 14, 15, 16 and 19 and finally got its first lead on the next point. There would be eight more ties, with the 'Bows desperately hanging on and the Blue Raiders riding the hitting of Ashley Asberry and Adams. Hawai'i served for the game twice and didn't get it. Middle Tennessee then had three serves for the match and finally got it when Amber Kaufman hit the net.

Houston finished with a match-high 25 kills. Asberry added 18 for the Blue Raiders and hit .556.

NOTES