SUNDAY'S SCORES
Jacksonville State 3, @Belmont 1 (25-16, 25-20, 23-25, 25-12)
SIUE 3, @Eastern Kentucky 0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-22)
Tennessee State 3, @Eastern Illinois 2 (18-25, 25-16, 21-25, 25-15, 15-9)
@Austin Peay 3, Murray State 1 (25-23, 19-25, 25-18, 25-22)
Southeast Missouri 3, @UT Martin 0 (25-22, 25-16, 26-21)
Morehead State 3, @Tennessee Tech 2 (25-21, 27-29, 20-25, 25-17, 15-10)
JACKSONVILLE STATE 3, BELMONT 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - While the offense hit over .300, the Jacksonville State volleyball team's defense stepped up with a big performance to defeat Belmont, 3-1, on the road Sunday.
The Gamecocks (9-0) remain undefeated after dispatching Belmont (25-16, 25-20. 23-25. 25-12) in Sunday's weekend opener to drop the Bruins to a 1-8 start. The win gave JSU a 14-13 edge in the all-time series with one match remaining as conference foes.
Senior setter Lexie Libs continued her strong season with 47 assists to pace the Gamecocks to a .301 hitting mark as a unit. Junior Lena Kindermann led the way with 19 kills, while senior Kaylie Milton had 15 as part of a double-double to go with 12 digs. Junior Katie Montgomery and freshman Sadie Brown each hit better than .400 from the middle, but had equally as impactful performances from the defensive side of the net.
Montgomery helped turn away six attacks, while Brown, Libs and Kindermann all had three blocks. For any Bruin attacks that made it through the front line, sophomore libero Erin Carmichael's 19 digs led a trio of Gamecocks with 10-or-more. Freshman Tahya Pozorski had a terrific afternoon with a career-high 14 digs to reach double-digits for the first time.
In the opening set, JSU pulled away from an 8-6 lead with multiple kills from Kindermann and Milton to double the Bruins at 16-8 and force a timeout. BU would trim the margin back to four at 18-14 before JSU cruised away to a 25-16 win.
The Gamecocks trailed 3-0 to start the second, and were still down three at 12-9. Behind defensive dives and slides, JSU's back row along with Milton and Kylee Quigley allowed the offense enough chances to pull JSU back even at 14-14. JSU led 20-19 when a couple of kills by Courtney Glotzbach and a service ace from Libs opened the door for a set two victory at 25-20.
Like the second, BU jumped out to the early lead in the third, but this time the Gamecock weren't able to reel the Bruins in as quickly. With BU ahead 20-16, a kill by Brown and a Bruin error brought JSU back within two, but the Gamecocks were still in trouble. JSU faced set point down 24-20, and fought off three attempts before falling 25-23.
JSU regrouped to roll through the fourth with a decisive 25-12 set win. The Gamecocks raced out to a 10-3 advantage and never slowed down on its way to a ninth-straight win.
The Bruins were led by Taylor Floyd, who posted 18 kills, while Laura Shoopman added 11. Freshman Rachel McBride led the team in digs with 18, while junior Carly Mason had 22 assists.
SIUE 3, EASTERN KENTUCKY 0
RICHMOND, Ky. - SIUE volleyball got back in the win column on Sunday afternoon, taking down host Eastern Kentucky in straight sets.
Sydney Hummert led the Cougar attack, notching 14 kills and recording an outstanding .433 hitting percentage; however, it was Savannah Christian who would lead the Red & White in hitting percentage, recording 10 kills to hit for a .444 clip.
Hope Everett would add nine kills, while Annie Ellis and Rachel McDonald would each register five kills. Sarah Armendariz notched another double-double, dishing 39 assists and recording 10 digs. Jordyn Klein returned to form, leading the Cougars with 16 digs on the day.
Jovana Bulatovic led EKU with 10 kills. Sydney Schoen had 13 digs.
The Cougars, who improve to 5-4 on the season, will look to complete the series sweep of the Colonels tomorrow at 1 p.m.
TENNESSEE STATE 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
CHARLESTON, Ill. - – Eastern Illinois volleyball opened up Sunday’s match with Tennessee State behind the solid hitting of senior Laurel Bailey but could not sustain that momentum for the entire match losing in five sets, 3-2.
TSU won the match 18-25, 25-16, 21-25, 25-15 and 15-9 to win its first match of the season and improve to 1-8. EIU fell to 0-9 on the year.
In the opening set, EIU fed the hot hitting of Bailey as she had nine kills on 18 attacks to hit .389 in the opening set. As a team EIU connected for a .222 attack percentage with Ireland Hieb (4 kills) and Kameryn Sillmon (2 kills) the only other EIU players with multiple kills. TSU was held to just eight total kills in the set, four off the attack of Kendall Bullock.
Both teams feeding Bailey and Bullock would be a constant theme in the match. Bailey finished with 21 kills for EIU on 60 swings while Bullock had 16 kills on 41 attacks for the Tigers.
The solid hitting disappeared for the Panthers in the second set as they hit negative .049 in the set. In the three sets EIU lost during the match they hit .027 in the fourth and negative .120 in the fifth.
TSU warmed up and attacked consistently in the final four sets hitting .250 or above in all four and finishing the match with a team attack percentage of .222.
In the second set, TSU broke an 8-8 tie with a 9-2 run to take control of the set. EIU had four attack errors during that run with TSU collecting three blocks. As a team TSU finished with 11 team blocks, middle blocker Aria Holmes had six block assists.
In the third set, Danielle Allen provided a late spark as she had three kills during a five point run as the EIU broke from a 17-17 tie to take control. Sillmon had two kills in the final stretch as she had nine for the match.
TSU took advantage of three EIU attack errors midway through the fourth set to open up a 17-11 lead. Aniya Williams would drop in two late kills and TSU won the set on a service ace by Micahlea Njie.
In the fifth, TSU jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the set and never trailed. Bullock and Williams had early kills for the Tigers. EIU would close to within 9-8 after a kill by Ella Collins and setting error by TSU. TSU closed the match on a 6-1 run.
Williams joined Bullock with double figure kills for TSU with 11. Gina Rivera Ortiz had 24 digs.
Bailey finished with a double-double with 21 kills and 13 digs. She now had 999 career digs and needs one more to become the 29th player in school history in the 1,000 digs club. Christina Martinez Mundo had 27 digs while Ashley Sharkus had 13 digs and Kylie Michael 10.
AUSTIN PEAY 3, MURRAY STATE 1
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Outside hitter Chloe Stitt’s career-best 26-kill performance helped Austin Peay State University’s volleyball team win a four-set (25-23, 19-25, 25-18, 25-22) Ohio Valley Conference decision against Murray State, Sunday afternoon at the Dunn Center.
Austin Peay (7-2) had its hands full throughout the match, only winning the third set in wire-to-wire fashion. The Govs offense got out to a slow start hitting .196 and .200 in the first two sets. They won the first set thanks to four service aces and three blocks.
Murray State (4-5) would battle back to level the match in the second. Austin Peay tried to race away early, leading 7-3, only to watch the Racers level the match at 9-9 thanks to a 6-2 run. Murray State took control with seven straight points to get to 18-11 and nursed that lead to win the set.
But Stitt exerted her influence in the final two sets, and it changed the Govs offense. She scored seven kills and two blocks in the third set as the Govs posted a .361 attack percentage in the wire-to-wire victory. Stitt topped that with eight kills and two blocks in the fourth set, leading a Govs offense that posted 21 kills in the match-clinching win.
Stitt led all hitters with her 26-kill effort and accounted for a large part of the Govs 62 kills in the match. Middle blocker Karli Graham nine kills and three blocks, and middle blocker Claire Darland had a team-best six blocks and five kills.
Jayla Holcombe led Murray State with 20 kills. Darci Metzger (16) and Kolby McClelland (11) also reached double-digit kill territory as Murray State recorded 55 kills in the match.
Austin Peay and Murray State conclude their two-match series with a 4 p.m. Monday match at the Dunn Center.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3, UT MARTIN 0
MARTIN, Tenn. - Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (7-2, 7-2 OVC) increased its win streak to seven matches after it swept UT Martin (5-4, 5-4 OVC) 25-22, 25-16, 25-21 Sunday at the Skyhawk Fieldhouse.
SEMO captured its second-straight 3-0 sweep of the 2020-21 season Sunday.
Laney Malloy paced the Redhawks with 14 kills and 10 digs and an ace for her fifth consecutive double-double of the campaign. Colby Greene registered her sixth double-digit kill outing of the year, finishing with 12.
Zoey Beasley added 10 and has now tallied 10 or more kills in the last five Redhawk matches. She also had a career-high seven digs.
Claire Ochs dished out 34 assists with 13 digs and an ace as SEMO hit at a rate of .208. UTM concluded the match with a clip of .079.
SEMO jumped out to a 4-0 lead that grew to 8-1. A 3-0 run from the Skyhawks evened the set at 14-14.
The Redhawks then distanced themselves from UTM with a 3-0 rally that finished with a Greene rally stopper, 18-15.
Malloy added a kill to make the SEMO edge 22-20 before SEMO claimed the set with three straight points, 25-22. Ochs teamed up with Maggie Adams for a block assist before Adams connected on a kill.
SEMO then utilized a 6-1 run to increase its second set advantage to 11-6 on the Skyhawks. Malloy had three kills during the span.
Beasley notched rally stoppers to make the lead 16-10 and then 17-11.
A 4-0 SEMO run then brought on set point at 24-15. Adams placed a kill before a pair of block assists from Talia Gouard. Gouard was strong on the net on consecutive points with Beasley and then Greene. Beasley then knocked a kill during the sequence.
Addison Conley hit a kill before Greene grew the SEMO advantage to 2-0 with a kill.
SEMO hit a match-high .455 during the second set. Malloy had six kills while Beasley and Greene each added five in the stanza.
The Redhawks then secured the 3-0 sweep with a 25-21 final frame.
A 5-0 run for UTM provided the Skyhawks an early 7-5 lead.
Three-straight kills from Greene, Malloy and Ochs brought the lead back in SEMO's favor 9-8.
Ochs then added a pair of rally stoppers to make the score 11-10.
SEMO then went on a 6-1 run to take a 17-12 edge in the set.
The Skyhawks responded with a 5-1 rally to come within a point, 20-19, and prompt a Redhawks timeout.
Beasley would knock a pair of kills to distance the Redhawks from UTM, 21-19, and then 22-20.
Olivia Lucia hit a kill to cut the SEMO edge to 22-21 before the Redhawks wrapped up the match with three straight points.
Blocks finished tied at 8-8. Adams, Gouard and Ochs each had four in the match. Greene poured in three.
Tara Beilsmith led the Redhawks defensively on the back row with 18 digs and three assists. Kayla Closset chipped in six digs and Ally Dion had five.
Conley paced the Skyhawks with nine kills and Logan Wallick had eight. Kenzie Hinshaw posted 30 assists and nine digs. Karen Scanlon finished with a team-high 13 digs.
MOREHEAD STATE 3, TENNESSEE TECH 2
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Recap coming soon.