FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Eastern Illinois 3, Morehead State 0
@Southeast Missouri 3, UT Martin 0
Lindenwood 3, @Tennessee Tech 2
@Western Illinois 3, Little Rock 1
@Southern Indiana 3, SIUE 1
EASTERN ILLINOIS 3, MOREHEAD STATE 0
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The Eastern Illinois volleyball team completed a clean sweep of Morehead State on Friday with another 3-0 win. After briefly falling behind 3-2 in set one, the Panthers never allowed the Eagles to regain the lead for the remainder of match. EIU is now 6-0 in the Ohio Valley conference with a 16-1 overall record. The set scores of Friday's match were as follows: 25-17, 25-13, and 25-20.
Eastern used a pair of 9-0 runs in the opening set to overpower Morehead and take a 1-0 lead. Natalie Mitchem led all scorers with 5.0 points on four kills and a pair of block assists in the set. Julia Stanev also had a big set, recording three block assists and showing off her offensive ability with a run of three consecutive kills.
In the second set, the Panthers pounced on the Eagles early, getting out to a 5-0 lead and never allowing MSU to get closer than an arm's length, ultimately building their way to a 12-point margin of victory. Kate Dean led the EIU offense with four kills, a service ace, and a block, while Catalina Rochaix distributed 13 assists.
The third set was much tighter, with Morehead State threatening to take the lead on multiple occasions. However, the Panthers were able to hold off the Eagles and eventually pulled away to take the set and complete the two-match sweep. Natalie Mitchem and Kaitlyn Flynn each had five kills in the set to lead the team. They also recorded two blocks each in the set.
Mitchem ended the contest as the Panthers' leading scorer with a total of 11 kills on an outstanding .579 hitting percentage, along with four blocks.
She was followed by Larregui Lopez with nine kills on an even higher .600 hitting percentage. The senior also added a service ace, one block, and 10 digs to her stat line.
Kaitlyn Flynn and Kate Dean both recorded eight kills on the afternoon. Dean also had a service ace and two blocks, while Flynn had three blocks.
Catalina Rochaix helped the EIU offense to a .382 hitting percentage as she handed out 37 assists for an average of 12.33 assists per set. She also recorded three service aces and a block.
Christina Martinez Mundo led the match with 12 digs while also collecting three service aces. Meanwhile, Laura Paniagua had nine digs and a service ace.
Masyn Navarro also got in on the action with an ace to bring the Panthers' team total to 10 (3.33 SAPS).
EIU also had 9.0 total team blocks. They were led by Julia Stanev, who matched her season-high seven blocks in the match. The freshman middle blocker also made the most of her offensive opportunities with a five kills on a .714 hitting percentage.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3, UT MARTIN 0
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri volleyball (12-4, 4-1 OVC) swept UT Martin (4-12, 2-4 OVC) on Friday night in front of 274 people at Houck Field House to record their fourth win in conference play.
SEMO dominated the match 25-14, 25-21, & 25-18 to record their third sweep in OVC play so far this season.
Freshman outside hitter Lucy Arndt continued to lead the Redhawks' attack as the Freeport, Ill.-native finished with 13 kills on 33 total attacks for a .333 hitting percentage.
The reigning OVC Freshman of the Week chipped in a service ace and five digs as well.
In the third set, UTM made things interesting late in the set. SEMO leading 22-15, UTM went on a quick 3-0 run to trim SEMO's led to 22-18. A well utilized SEMO timeout turned into a 3-0 run for the Redhawks to close out the match.
SEMO's highest hitting-percentage as a team came in the third set as they hit an impressive 72-percent, a game-high.
Outside hitter Kayla Closset and Marisa Guisti chipped in on the offensive side of the net, registering nine and eight kills, respectively. The combo combined for an overall percentage of .397.
Libero Tara Beilsmith, the OVC Defender of the Week, controlled SEMO's back line as the graduate student from Weldon Spring, Mo. tallied 18 digs and a near-flawless reception percentage of .933.
Off the bench, Freshman Nina Schuberth registered three service aces on 14 attempts. Defensively, Schuberth finished with eight digs and a reception percentage of .909.
Izzy Lukens dished out 31 total assists in the three-set match, leading to a SEMO team hitting percentage of .326.
In a match that lasted just one hour and 21 minutes, there were 10 lead changes and 23 different times the score was tied as the Redhawks beat UTM to hand the Skyhawks their fourth conference loss of the season.
LINDENWOOD 3, TENNESSEE TECH 2
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Lindenwood women's volleyball (8-8, 4-1 OVC) picks up a 3-2 thrilling win against the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech (5-11, 1-4 OVC) as the Lions post a season high 68 kills and 92 digs in the win. It also marks their first road victory of the season.
Addy McAleer led the way for the Lions after picking up 21 kills and 16 digs for her sixth double-double of the season (three straight). Freshman Jade Roth came up big in the middle with a season high 19 kills on an efficient .567 hitting percentage.
The Golden Eagles jumped out to the early lead in the first set with a score of 21-25. Lindenwood trailed as much as six points towards the end of the match before Tech took the first. Nyah Wilson and McAleer both had four kills to start Friday's match.
Lindenwood bounced back to even the match at 1-1 with a 25-23 set two win. After trailing 13-9 midway through the second, McAleer helped lead the charge to take the lead at 15-14 and never looked back. The Lions again added 15 kills to their total and had help with four services aces.
Libero Jessie Seidel had two of the aces in the set while adding seven digs. Her 29 digs in the match was her second highest of the season and she was one of four Lions to post double digit digs on the defensive side. Allie Otten also had 12 assists in the set.
LU was able to take a 2-1 advantage after the third set with a 25-22 win. The third saw 15 ties and eight lead changes before Lindenwood closed out the set with a kill by Özge Tan. Despite the back and forth set, both teams hit under .100 in the third. Roth added another four kills to her career night.
In what seemed destined for a fifth set, the Golden Eagles rallied down 2-1 to tie the match with a 23-25 set four victory. Lindenwood's offense still produced big numbers with their third set with at least 15 kills (.234 hitting percentage) but TTU's Madolyn Isringhausen's three services aces was the deciding factor in the fourth.
Lindenwood commanded the fifth set early jumping out to a 8-3 advantage. After both teams switched sides of the court, Tennessee Tech rallied back to take a 13-11 lead. After a Rebecca Janke kill and a TTU attack error, Janke picked up the final kill to give Lindenwood the 16-14 fifth set win.
Wilson came up big for the Lions on both the offensive and defensive sides of the net. She notched her seventh double-double (fourth straight) and earned a season high 20 digs in the process. Janke was also active adding 12 kills and five blocks.
Otten also set a season high 54 assists in the five set win picking up her first match this season with over 50. She also earned a double-double adding 15 digs. Seidel and McAleer also added two aces each to help propel the Lions to their four OVC win of the season.
WESTERN ILLINOIS 3, LITTLE ROCK 1
MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois volleyball defeated the Little Rock Trojans in four sets inside a loud Western Hall on Friday (10/6) night. The Leathernecks move to 3-2 in OVC play and 4-10 overall.
Western Illinois offense started with a bang as Kaitlyn Wickersheim opened the match with a service ace. Little Rock responded with a 4-0 run, pulling in front 4-1. The Trojans saw their lead get as big as four before Julianna Schmidt would have a kill, sparking a 6-2 run, tying the set at eight. Kennedy Adair and Elizabeth Ziegler had kills that pulled the set even at nine and ten. Schmidt gave WIU their first lead since 1-0 with a kill, and Maggie Craker's kill put WIU on a 4-0 run, pulling in front (15-11). WIU would hold on to their four-point lead until Little Rock charged back, tying the set at 20-20. With the score tied, Brittany Wulf checked into the game and instantly found herself in the scorebook with a kill. Wickersheim would have another service ace, forcing the Trojans to call a timeout at 22-20. Out of the break, Little Rock would chip away, tying the match at 23. Both teams would trade the next point as WIU used a service error and a Keyana Cruse kill to finish set one 26-24.
The second set saw Little Rock in front early with a 3-1 lead. After a Trojan service error, Grace Kremer and Cruse gave WIU their first lead of the set 4-3. WIU and Little Rock would battle for the next couple of points as neither team could gain separation. Ahead 7-5, WIU saw Cruse and Craker with back-to-back kills, giving WIU their largest lead at the time, 9-5. The Leathernecks would increase their lead to six multiple times throughout the middle part of set two. Kremer would have an ace, putting WIU ahead 13-7. Six points later, Cruse had herself an ace, putting WIU back in front 16-10. Ziegler would put WIU ahead by seven (20-13), and Schmidt finished the set with a kill as WIU took set two 25-17
WIU fell behind early in set three. Down 7-2, the Leathernecks started to climb out of the hole. Keyana Cruse would get a kill, and then a bad set by Little Rock put WIU down 7-4. Little Rock increased their lead to 8-4 before a 5-0 run that saw kills by Cruse and Wulf saw WIU in front 9-8. Midway through the third set, Little Rock had an answer with five straight points, pulling in front 19-14. WIU clawed back with multiple kills by Cruse and Annika Black. Down 22-21, Wulf would have a kill to tie the set, and back-to-back service aces by Wickersheim had WIU in front 23-22 as Little Rock used their second timeout. Out of the break, a 5-2 run by the Trojans saw them fight off two match points to take the third set 27-25.
The Leathernecks started on the front foot in the fourth set. Craker and Schmidt both had kills as WIU opened an early 3-2 lead. The Leathernecks would watch their lead slip away as the Trojans jumped back in front 6-3 with a 4-0 run. Cruse ended the run with back-to-back kills, pulling WIU within one (6-5). Western Illinois pulled the set even at eight with back-to-back kills by Wulf. Little Rock responded, pulling out in front 14-9. Wulf was once the catalyst for a Leatherneck run as her kill started a 5-0 run, tying the set at 14. Teams would trade the next points before WIU pulled in front 18-16 on the swings of Cruse and Black. WIU would hold off the Trojans as Wulf had four kills in five points to put WIU up 24-20. Wickersheim ended the match the way she started it with an ace from the service line as WIU took set four 25-20.
Keyana Cruse and Brittany Wulf led the team with 16 kills each. Cruse had a double-double, adding 14 digs. Grace Ulatowski led the dig category for the Leathernecks with 18. Maggie Craker dished out 38 assists, tying her for 10th in career assists. WIU had 12 total team blocks, with Grace Kremer, Annika Black, and Julianna Schmidt registering solo blocks. Kaitlyn Wickersheim led the Leathernecks in service aces with five, as Western Illinois had six total.
SOUTHERN INDIANA 3, SIUE 1
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (9-9, 5-2 OVC) won a nail-biter against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (7-9, 1-4 OVC) on Friday night at Screaming Eagles Arena, 3-1 (25-22, 25-23, 30-28, 25-22). The Screaming Eagles snap an eight-match winless streak against the Cougars dating back to 2005.
A slow start haunts the Eagles in the opening frame, 25-22. USI scored the first point of the match off a kill from senior outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) until the Cougars nabbed three straight points to take a 3-1 lead. After back-to-back kills by senior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois), USI made it 7-6 but SIUE turned around and fired off five of the next six points to extend their lead to five. Even after an attacking error, the Cougars used a 4-0 run to double-up on the Eagles, 16-8. The Eagles did put up a fight by scoring eight of the next 10 points to cut the deficit to just two. The surge was highlighted by four kills from three different USI players and capped off with an ace from junior outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana). SIUE extended their lead back up to five until a late 3-0 stint from the Eagles made it a close contest at the wire before the Cougars iced the set with a kill. Both sides produced 12 kills in the frame but it was USI's seven errors that hurt them the most.
It was a tight race to the finish, but USI ultimately came out on top in the second set, 25-23. Trailing 4-3 early, the Eagles stormed back with a 6-0 run that featured four kills split between four different USI attackers. The Eagles continued the hot streak by posting seven of the next eight points to take a 16-6 advantage over the Cougars. Sophomore middle hitter Bianca Anderson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) kicked off the run with back-to-back kills and continued with a pair of kills from Leah Anderson. Even down by 10, SIUE returned fire by posting five straight points to make it 20-15 late in the set. With USI reaching set-point, the Cougars put the Eagles on their heels with a 5-0 surge to make. Leah Anderson shut down the run with a kill to hand USI the victory and tie the match at 1-1. The Eagles outkilled the Cougars 15-10 with the defense forcing nine SIUE errors.
A chaotic third frame ended in favor of USI and gave the Eagles a one-set lead, 30-28. The beginning of the set was a true battle as there were five lead changes and four ties and an SIUE 13-10 lead. USI went on a large 9-1 push that gave the Eagles a 19-14 advantage. The run started with kills from Bednar and Leah Anderson and progressed with three kills from Bianca Anderson and a key kill from junior setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana). The Cougars did not budge and retaliated with a 4-0 run and then another couple of points to make it a one-point set. Trailing 23-21, SIUE ran away with three straight points to hold a 24-23 lead at set point. It was total mayhem after as USI and SIUE traded the lead eight times until the Eagles took advantage of two big attacking errors from the Cougars to end the set. The 30-point plateau was the most points scored in a single set by USI since the 2017 season. Both teams also produced a combined 39 kills and over 100 total attacks in the frame.
USI used a last-second run to win the match and the set, 25-22. The Eagles held an early 7-4 lead until the Cougars sprang into action and tacked on five of the next six points to make it 9-8. Both teams swapped points throughout the set until USI sat with a 22-21 disadvantage. Three kills from three different Eagles shifted the momentum and sealed the Cougars' fate. Leah Anderson, Bianca Anderson, and Weber tallied the final three kills that helped USI secure the victory.
Sobieralski highlights the Eagles with a career-high 50 assists in just four sets played. Leah Anderson tallied a team-leading 18 kills to pair with a couple of blocks and an ace. Bednar nabbed an 18-dig and 15-kill double-double while Bianca Anderson secured a career-high 15 kills and a whopping 0.636 hitting percentage. Junior middle hitter Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) took control of the net, posting a match-high nine blocks with six kills. Sophomore libero/defensive specialist Keira Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) paired with Bednar to hold a team-high 18 digs.
As a team, the Eagles produced a season-high 62 kills, 58 assists, 14 blocks, and 78 points that complimented 55 digs and two aces. SIUE finished the match with 58 kills, 53 assists, and seven aces to pair with 56 digs and nine blocks.