WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
Morehead State 3, @Eastern Kentucky 0 (25-9, 26-24, 25-23)
@Murray State 3, Austin Peay 2 (25-23, 22-25, 19-25, 25-19, 15-10)
MOREHEAD STATE 3, EASTERN KENTUCKY 0
RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team fell in straight sets on Wednesday night to in-state rival Morehead State.
The Colonels lost 9-25, 24-26 and 23-25.
Abby Noll paced the Colonel offense with a team-best 14 kills and eight digs on the night. Dena Tekavec posted a match-best 18 digs.
In set one, EKU had an early 5-3 lead after the Morehead State attack error. The Eagles responded and took the opening set 25-9.
In set two, the Colonels used a quick start and jumped out to an early 18-13 lead after an Eagles attack error. However, the Eagles responded with 8-1 run after a pair of attack errors by EKU to take a 21-19 lead. Eastern responded and tied the set 24-24 after a kill by Adria Hartley. Morehead State scored the final two points of the set to take a 26-24 lead.
In set three, Morehead State used a big start to the set and took a 23-16 lead over Eastern after a Mia Swearingen kill. Eastern did not go down without a fight though. The Colonels responded with a 7-0 run to tie the third set at 23-23, forcing an Eagles timeout. Morehead State scored the final two points of the set to complete the sweep.
Olivia Lohmeier led the way with a match-best 19 kills and four digs. Bridgett Bessler had a match-high 43 digs and 14 assists.
MURRAY STATE 3, AUSTIN PEAY 2
MURRAY, Ky. - A defensive effort that resulted in a season-high 15 blocks fell just shy of a victory as Austin Peay State University’s volleyball team dropped a five-set (23-25, 25-22, 25-18, 19-25, 10-15) Ohio Valley Conference decision to Murray State, Wednesday night at Racer Arena in a First Financial Battle of the Border contest.
Austin Peay (10-19, 8-7 OVC) got an impressive blocking performance from freshman Tegan Seyring and sophomores Aysha Hood and Claire Darland. Seyring, the reigning OVC Newcomer of the Week, pieced together a career-high 10 blocks. Hood went in for a career-high eight blocks while Darland chipped in on seven blocks, also a career best.
The Governors defensive effort reached its height in the third set, holding Murray State to a minus-.026 attack percentage with 11 attack errors. Austin Peay would win the set 25-19 to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Murray State (17-10, 11-4 OVC) would solve the Governors block in the fourth and fifth sets. The Racers posted 20 kills in the fourth, committing just four errors, as they leveled the match. Murray State would win the fifth set wire-to-wire, using a 13-kill outing that saw them post a .500 attack percentage.
Austin Peay’s offense was well balanced throughout the match. Junior Chloe Stitt led the Govs with 15 kills and a .419 attack percentage. Hood added a career-best 10 kills and a .550 attack percentage to round out her career-best outing. Junior Brooke Moore also had 10 kills and 13 digs for her 14th double-double.
Murray State’s Rachel Giustino recorded 33 kills, 11 of those coming in the fourth set. Rachel Holthaus added 21 kills and a .462 attack percentage.