SATURDAY'S SCORES
Tennessee Tech 3, @Belmont 2 (23-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-27, 15-13)
@Southeast Missouri 3, Morehead State 0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-13)
Murray State 3, @SIUE 2 (16-25, 25-15, 25-9, 20-25, 15-13)
Austin Peay 3, @Eastern Illinois 1 (25-22, 17-25, 25-20, 25-23)
@UT Martin 3, Tennessee State 0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-22)
TENNESSEE TECH 3, BELMONT 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - For the second time in less than 16 hours, Belmont University volleyball pushed Tennessee Tech to the brink in a five-set thriller, only to come up a few points short on Saturday afternoon inside the Curb Event Center.
One day after nearly pulling off a reverse sweep of the Golden Eagles, Belmont fell 25-23, 22-25, 18-25, 27-25, 13-15 to close out the regular season.
The Bruins (9-19, 7-11 OVC) led 12-10 in the fifth set, but Tennessee Tech (16-13, 11-7 OVC) ended the match on a 5-1 run.
Mary Catherine Ball finished with a season-high 17 kills with a .593 attack percentage in the loss, Taylor Floyd tallied 14 kills, and Kailee Bass collected a career-high 13 kills and five blocks in the final home game of her career. Carly Mason tallied 28 assists, and Izzy Schauer finished with 27 assists.
Belmont out-blocked Tennessee Tech 8.0 to 6.0 and out-hit the Golden Eagles .329 to .304. The .329 mark is by far the best percentage for the Bruins this season, eclipsing the previous best of .256 set in a win over Murray State earlier this year.
In the first set, the Bruins got off to a great start offensively, hitting .355 in the frame with only three attack errors. Despite five service errors in the set, Belmont jumped out to leads of 15-11 and 17-21, holding off one last Tennessee Tech surge for a 25-23 win.
In the second set, Belmont stayed hot, hitting .333 with only two attack errors. The Bruins jumped out to a 4-1 lead on a Floyd kill, but the Golden Eagles would strike back with a 5-1 run later in the set to lead 16-12. Belmont would tie things at 20-20, but Tennessee Tech took five of the last seven points to win, 25-22.
The third frame saw Tennessee Tech hit over .300 for the third straight time, while Belmont dipped in their efficiency down to a .206 mark. Tennessee Tech would lead 12-7 before the Bruins erupted on a 5-1 run to cut it to a 13-12 deficit. However, the Golden Eagles found their rhythm again on the way to a 21-14 lead and a 25-18 win, pushing their set advantage to 2-1.
Needing a win to stay alive, Belmont came up big with an extra-point thriller in the fourth set, taking down Tennessee Tech 27-25 to force a fifth frame. The Bruins got four kills each from Ball and Shoopman to help power the offense, while Walsh added two blocks to help Belmont edge out the visitors in a tight set.
In the decisive fifth set, the Bruins got kills from six different players on the way to a commanding 12-10 lead.
However, Tennessee Tech used one last 5-1 run to clinch the match, 15-13.
Prior to the match, Carly Mason, Peyton Kelley, Mary Catherine Ball, Taylor Floyd, and Kailee Bass were honored as part of Senior Day festivities. In their final home game, the five Bruin seniors combined for 49 of Belmont's 64 kills and 12 of their 14 block assists.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3, MOREHAED STATE 0
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (23-7, 14-4 OVC) secured a share of the 2021 Ohio Valley Conference Regular-Season title and the top seed in next week's 2021 OVC Championship Tournament with a 25-23, 25-15, 25-18 sweep of Morehead State (18-11, 14-4 OVC) Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Houck Field House.
The Redhawks swept Morehead State in the final regular-season series to secure a share of SEMO's 10th OVC Regular-Season title in program history. The title is SEMO's first since 2007. The Redhawks will host the tournament for the fourth time and first time since 2000 next week.
The Redhawks earned the right to host the 2021 OVC Championship Tournament with the tiebreaker over the Eagles.
Top-seeded SEMO will face #8 Eastern Illinois in the First Round of the 2021 OVC Championship Tournament Thursday at 6 p.m., CT to close the first day of the tourney.
The Redhawks have registered 23 overall wins for the second time in three seasons. SEMO also matched its OVC win mark from the 2020-21 season with 14.
Zoey Beasley led SEMO with 16 kills on a .316 hitting percentage. Laney Malloy added a double-double of 10 kills and 13 digs.
Colby Greene chipped in seven kills on a .375 clip.
SEMO utilized a 4-0 run to pull ahead early in the first set, 14-11. The Eagles responded with four straight points to go to the media timeout leading 15-14.
It marked the fourth-straight set of the series between the schools that featured the stoppage at that scoreline.
Beasley added a kill followed by a Kayla Closset ace to take an 18-17 edge.
Talia Gouard and Beasley then knocked consecutive rally stoppers to make it 22-21.
Irene Wogenstahl retied the set at 23-23 with a kill before the Redhawks took the opening set on an ace from Claire Ochs, 25-23.
The first set featured 16 ties and seven lead changes. Malloy and Beasley each had four kills in the initial frame.
The Redhawks extended their margin to 2-0 with a dominating 25-15 second stanza. SEMO hit a match-best .452 with 14 kills and zero errors.
Beasley slammed seven kills on a .700 hitting percentage in set #2.
SEMO took a 15-10 lead after a pair of kills by Beasley.
The Redhawks then utilized a 4-0 run to widen the gap to 21-13.
Malloy connected on a kill before a service ace by Tara Beilsmith. Greene and Gouard then combined for a block assist followed by a Eagles error.
SEMO added three more points to bring on set point with a 10-point advantage, 24-14. Greene and Closset had kills before and after an Ally Dion ace.
The Redhawks then went up 2-0 in the match after a Morehead State error, 25-15.
SEMO opened the third set with a 15-9 margin after kills by Beasley (2) and Ochs coupled with a MSU miscue.
Malloy and Greene then hit consecutive kills to widen the gap to 20-12.
Ochs added a setter's rally stopper before teaming up with Gouard for a block to bring on match point at 24-15.
The Eagles fended off match point three times before Gouard claimed the match with a kill, 25-18.
Ochs dished out 34 assists, eight digs, two blocks and an ace as SEMO finished with a .286 clip after a .308 third set.
Beilsmith grabbed 20 digs to accompany four assists and an ace. Dion tallied five digs.
SEMO led the aces category, 6-2, but blocks were tied at 6-6.
Gouard tallied four blocks and three kills.
SEMO recognized seniors Ally Dion, Laney Malloy, Elissa Moylan, Claire Ochs and Caroline Draver prior to Saturday's Senior Day match. All five seniors saw action with Dion, Malloy, Ochs and Moylan starting. Draver registered a great pancake dig off the bench.
Abby Hulsman led MSU with 11 kills while Olivia Lohmeier and Maycie Welborn (.444) each had 10. Bridget Bessler finished with 36 assists and eight digs.
Allison Whitten grabbed 16 digs.
SEMO will next host the 2021 OVC Championship Tournament Thursday, Nov. 18 through Saturday, Nov. 20 at Houck Field House.
The Eagles are the No. 2 seed while Austin Peay is the No. 3 seed. UT Martin will be the fourth-seed followed by Murray State to round out the top five. Tennessee Tech is the sixth seed followed by Belmont and Eastern Illinois. The entire tournament will be available on ESPN+.
Top-seeded SEMO will face #8 Eastern Illinois in the First Round of the 2021 OVC Championship Tournament Thursday at 6 p.m., CT to close the first day of the tourney.
MURRAY STATE 3, SIUE 2
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE volleyball wrapped up its 2021 fall season Saturday with a hard-fought, five-set loss to Murray State on senior day at First Community Arena.
The Cougars finished the season at 6-23 overall and 3-15 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Murray State improved to 17-11 overall and 11-7 in the OVC after the 16-25, 25-15, 25-9, 20-25, 15-13 win.
Bolstered by a six-point run late in the first set, SIUE grabbed the first set, hitting .243 for the game, while limiting the Racers to just a .070 hitting percentage. The Racers turned the tables in the second and third sets. Murray State hit .333 in the third and ran away with the fourth set, hitting .476, while keeping SIUE in the red in both sets.
Trailing 11-7 in the fourth set, the Cougars seized control with another lengthy scoring run. SIUE won seven straight points and 10 of 11 to lead 17-12. SIUE fended off a late run by the Racers who trimmed a 24-17 lead to 24-20 before the Cougars finished off the set.
Murray State then edged SIUE in a competitive fifth set. The Racers won the first three points and never trailed in the set. SIUE pulled even at nine but Murray State won two of the next three points to lead 12-10. The Cougars tied the set at 12 before the Racers won three of the final four points.
Savannah Christian led SIUE with 14 kills and a .276 hitting percentage. Annie Ellis added eight kills, hit .217 and contributed eight blocks. Julia Triechel collected nine kills and nine digs. Nicole Kijowski turned 18 digs and Alyse Drifka added 27 assists.
The Cougars hit .114 for the match, while the Racers hit .182. Brooke Lynn Watts led the Racers with 19 kills while hitting .269.
The Cougars honored five seniors prior to the match. Hannah Bagley, Ellis, Grace Hurst, Ellen LeMasters and Leila Manaois each finished their Cougar careers.
AUSTIN PEAY 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois (11-17, 4-14 OVC) drops its final regular season home match on senior day to the Governors of Austin Peay (20-11, 13-5 OVC) by a score of 3-1. EIU had strong performances from all four of its seniors, but comes up short. Here are the scores from Saturday's match: 22-25, 25-17, 20-25, 23-25.
EIU was down early in the first set by a score of 9-14, but managed to make their way back late in the set but fell just short by a score of 22-25. Austin Peay out hit the Panthers .286 to .200. Danielle Allen led the way for Eastern in the first with five of the team's 12 kills in the set. Emily Wilcox chipped in three block assists as well in the first. Brooke Moore led APSU with seven kills on 14 attempts, and Caroline Waite had seven assists for the Governors.
The Panthers won their lone set of the day in the second by a score of 25-17. It was the largest win margin of any set on Saturday. EIU took a late lead, 19-15, on Austin Peay and never looked back going on a six to two run to end the set. Allen again led the way for EIU with five kills while fellow senior Kylie Michael added four kills to her total. Austin Peay was held to 10 kills in the second with three of them coming from Moore. EIU's defense held the Governors to a .167 hitting percentage in the set.
Austin Peay would claim the third set as they won 20-25, and took a 2-1 lead over EIU. The Panthers struggled to stop Austin Peay in the third as they hit .353 while EIU hit .225. Allen had her third straight set with five kills and Kameryn Sillmon added three of her own. Michael and Ashley Sharkus combined for 11 digs in the third. Moore led all attackers in this set with six kills while Maggie Keenan picked up three block assists to help APSU.
Eastern's last home match came to a close Saturday night as the Panthers fell in the fourth set 23-25. EIU was down 16-21 late in the set, but managed to cut it to a one point lead for Austin Peavy but it was not enough to overcome the Governors. Allen continued her strong senior night with seven kills, and Michael added four kills and four digs. Christina Martinez Mundo also collected five digs in the fourth. Claire Darland and Brooke Moore both had three kills for Austin Peay and helped them pick up their 20th win of the season.
Austin Peay was led by Moore with 19 kills and nine digs, Kaylah Jackson with 10 kills and seven digs, Janvier Buggs with 26 assists and 10 digs, and Keenan with four block assists. The Governors more to 20-11 on the season, and will be the three seed in the OVC Tournament.
Eastern Illinois was led by Allen with 22 kills, Michael with 13 kills and 17 digs, Chandler with 20 assists and six digs, and Sillmon with six kills and one block. The Panthers drop to 11-17 on the year, and will be the eighth seed heading into the OVC Tournament.
UT MARTIN 3, TENNESSEE STATE 0
MARTIN, Tenn. -– On an emotional Senior Night, the University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball squad put together perhaps one of its most dominant performances as it swept Tennessee State by scores of 25-16, 25-12, 25-22 at Skyhawk Fieldhouse.
The victory gives UT Martin an 11-7 record in Ohio Valley Conference play, which are the program’s most wins against league competition since it won a dozen matches in 2011. The Skyhawks (15-16 overall) clinched the No. 4 seed in the upcoming OVC Championship tournament, which will take place in Cape Girardeau, Mo. on Nov. 18-20.
Four-year seniors Addison Conley, Jessica Reynolds, Karen Scanlon and Logan Wallick – as well as graduate transfer Francela Ulate – were all honored for their career accomplishments during a pregame ceremony. UT Martin then took care of business, not trailing one time during the entire match to complete a weekend sweep over the Tigers in short order.
Conley delivered a match-high 11 kills on a remarkable .450 hitting percentage (two errors in 20 swings) while Scanlon and Wallick each slammed down 10 kills apiece. Scanlon (11 digs) and Haeleigh Paulino (16 assists, 11 digs) contributed double-doubles while Dylan Mott managed 11 digs and a pair of service aces.
It was Conley who had the hot hand early as the London, Ohio native accumulated four kills during the Skyhawks’ first nine points. Addy Vaughn added a pair of kills during a 13-4 run that gave UT Martin a 19-8 advantage. The Tigers would not get any closer than seven points for the rest of the set as Reynolds came away with a kill on set point. Conley had five kills on seven swings in the opening set while Paulino managed eight digs and directed an offense that hit .316.
The second stanza began with a 9-2 Skyhawk run, fueled by three Scanlon kills during that stretch. After Tennessee State closed to within five points (13-8), UT Martin unreeled 12 of the final 16 points of the set. Scanlon was responsible for three kills during that lengthy run, which was capped off by a Ulate service ace on set point. Scanlon posted six kills in eight attempts in the second set as the Skyhawks combined for a .364 hitting percentage as a team.
The Skyhawks led by as many as eight points in the final set – racing out to a 14-6 lead that included kills from five different players (Wallick, Scanlon, Conley, Olivia Saunders, Vaughn). Moments later, Conley tallied back-to-back kills to keep UT Martin’s lead at eight points (21-13). The Tigers closed the gap to two points at 24-22 but the Skyhawks thwarted a potential rally as Vaughn rose high for a solo block on match point. Wallick and Scanlon guided UT Martin with four kills and six digs, respectively, in the third stanza.
The OVC Championship quarterfinals are set for Thursday, Nov. 18 as the Skyhawks are slotted in for a 3 p.m. matchup against No. 5 seed Murray State.