Ohio Valley Conference

MACON, Ga. - The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team battled during a busy first day of the Mercer Invitational but ultimately fell in five sets to North Dakota (25-23, 14-25, 25-23, 25-27, 8-15) this morning and in three sets to West Georgia (17-25, 19-25, 24-26) this afternoon at Hawkins Arena.

Sophomore Kylie Surratt led the Skyhawks in both kills (24) and digs (24) today, coming up just one kill shy against West Georgia of recording two double-doubles. Ava Peters accounted for 58 assists (7.25 per set) and 10 kills on a .280 hitting percentage today while Kayla Bryant landed all of her team-high four service aces this morning in the thriller against North Dakota.

Trailing just behind Surratt in the digs column today was Abby Freund (23) and Dylan Sulcer (22). Kristin Phillips' five blocks guided UT Martin defensively while DyYanna Wade rejected a career-best four blocks in the second match of the day against West Georgia.

UT Martin had three chances at match point in the fourth set before the Fighting Hawks rallied for the win.

The Skyhawks came out swinging, hitting .344 as a team in the opening set. Surratt had three kills and a block assist in UT Martin's first six points to set the tone early. The Skyhawks went on a 10-3 run midway through the set as Bryant supplied three kills and a service ace during that span. North Dakota eventually came back to briefly take a 23-22 lead but kills from Sulcer and Surratt helped power UT Martin to the finish line. Surratt had six kills on eight swings (.750 hitting percentage) while Peters had 12 assists in the first set.

The Fighting Hawks scored seven of the first eight points of the second stanza, eventually extending their lead into double digits. Ella McFarland (kill), Bryant (kill) and Sulcer (service ace) helped the Skyhawks make a late surge but North Dakota was able to even the match at 1-all. Surratt led UT Martin in kills (two) and digs (four) in the second set but the Fighting Hawks hit an even .500 (16 kills against just one error) in 30 swings.

The third set started off with a 6-1 Skyhawk run as North Dakota never led from that point forward. Five ties ensued with the final deadlock coming at 19-19. McFarland quickly answered with a big kill before back-to-back points from Bryant (kill, service ace) helped set up Surratt for a set-clinching kill. Peters (three kills, eight assists), McFarland (three kills in five attempts) and Freund (five digs) guided UT Martin to a 2-1 lead in the match.

The Skyhawks were in prime position to close out the match in the fourth set but an extremely competitive stanza that featured 14 ties and five lead changes went to the Fighting Hawks. An assisted block from McFarland and Carly Mueller that provided UT Martin with a 7-4 advantage was the only time the lead extended beyond two points on either side until 22-19. During a six-point stretch late in the set, Bryant accounted for a pair of kills and a service ace to help the Skyhawks claim match point at 24-21. However, North Dakota scored six of the final seven points to force a fifth set. Phillips rejected three blocks in the fourth stanza alone to pace UT Martin.

The Fighting Hawks carried over its momentum into the fifth set, scoring the first three points as part of a 10-2 run. Peters, Mueller and Surratt each helped the Skyhawks claw back late but UT Martin could not shake off its slow start. Surratt's two kills and five digs were both team-highs for the Skyhawks in the final stanza.

UT Martin nearly extended the match with a heated third set that involved 17 ties and seven lead changed before the Wolves narrowly closed out the win.

Surratt downed a pair of kills to give the Skyhawks an early lead in the opening set but West Georgia came back to take an 11-5 advantage. Soon thereafter, Surratt managed three points (two kills, one service ace) in a five-point span to pull UT Martin back within striking distance at 16-12 but that was as close as the Skyhawks would get for the remainer of the set. Surratt's four kills led UT Martin offensively in the first stanza.

Three Surratt kills resulted in a blazing start for the Skyhawks in the second set as UT Martin jumped out to an 8-3 edge. The Wolves soon went on an 11-4 run midway through the stanza before a kill from Wade temporarily halted West Georgia's momentum. UT Martin only trailed by two points (18-16) before the Wolves pieced together seven of the final 10 points in the set. Surratt (four kills), Peters (eight assists, five digs) and Sulcer (six digs) stood out for the Skyhawks during the middle set.

Wade had a hand in each of the first three points of the final stanza, slamming down a kill before back-to-back block assists alongside Sienna Wnetrzak resulted in a 3-0 UT Martin lead. West Georgia took its first lead of the set at 9-8 as neither side led by more than two points for the remainder of the match. An assisted block from Wade and Bryant nudged the Skyhawks back ahead by a 13-12 margin as the back-and-forth set continued. After a Bryant kill gave UT Martin a 22-21 advantage, the Wolves scored three consecutive points for match point. Back-to-back kills from Bryant and Wnetrzak knotted the score at 24-24 but West Georgia recovered for the final two points of the day. Bryant and Phillips each had four kills apiece while Wade rejected four blocks in the final set alone.

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3, KANSAS CITY 0
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 3, MISSOURI STATE 2
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State (7-4) took both matches on Friday afternoon in the 'Missouri Challenge' with victories over Kansas City (3-0) and Missouri State (3-2). 
 
Junior outside hitter Lucy Arndt finished the first match of the day with 11 kills, putting her in the 1,000 career kills club following the match with Kansas City. She then turned in a season-high 23 kills against Missouri State in the second match of the day. Arndt now has 1,025 kills for her career. 
 
Southeast Missouri State took the first set from Missouri Set 28-26 after trailing in the early stages. Lucy Arndt led the way for the Redhawks with several crucial kills, including the set-winning point. Marin Johnson contributed multiple kills, keeping the team in the match during key moments. The Bears stayed competitive with Rilynn Finley adding significant kills to maintain pressure. The set featured multiple lead changes, reflecting the tight competition between the teams.
 
The Redhawks gained an early advantage with a 5-1 run, highlighted by a service ace from Riley Ourth. Nina Schuberth contributed a service ace as the team built a 7-2 lead. The Bears responded with a 6-1 run to tie the set at 10-10, including a service ace by Rossana Papa. Grace Smith recorded multiple key kills, aiding Missouri State to a late lead. Missouri State secured the set 25-21 after a close contest, benefiting from a decisive kill by Peyton McKee.
 
Missouri State took an early 3-0 lead with two kills from Hannah Gardner. The Redhawks narrowed the gap to 3-2 with a kill by Katherine St. John. Arndt contributed three kills for Southeast, helping them stay competitive. Missouri State extended their lead to 13-11 with a series of three consecutive kills by McKee. Southeast tied the set at 8-8 with a service ace from Megan Holder. Missouri State closed the set with a 25-21 victory, highlighted by a service ace and a kill by Gardner.
 
The Redhawks secured the set with a 25-21 win, aided by a crucial kill from Arndt. Holder contributed significantly with multiple assists, setting up key points for Southeast. Alaina Lester and Reagan Nelson each delivered impactful kills, keeping Southeast ahead in the scoreline. Missouri State narrowed the gap with a late surge, tying the score at several points, but Southeast regained control to close out the set. The Redhawks capitalized on Missouri State's errors, including attack and service errors, to maintain their lead.  
 
The Redhawks secured the set 15-12 to win the match 3-2. Holder contributed significantly with four assists and one service ace for the team. Arndt tallied two key kills for Southeast, including the set-clinching point. Finley led Missouri State with three kills during the set. The Redhawks benefitted from strong blocking, recording two blocks that resulted in attack errors for the Bears.
 
Southeast Mo. St. secured a 25-16 victory in the first set versus Kansas City, marking a strong start. Marin Johnson led the offensive effort with multiple kills, including three key points. Southeast Mo. St. recorded four service aces, contributing to their dominant performance. Ramiri Gardner added crucial kills, maintaining the visiting team's momentum. The Roos struggled with attack errors, impacting their ability to close the gap.
 
Southeast Missouri State opened the set with a 3-0 run, featuring a kill by Lucy Arndt. Kara Oxenknecht contributed three kills, enhancing SEMO's offensive momentum. Reagan Nelson and Megan Holder each delivered a service ace, adding key points for SEMO. KC closed the gap with a late push, scoring 20 points, but SEMO secured the set 25-20.
 
Southeast Mo. St. captured the set 25-23 to secure a 3-0 match victory. Lucy Arndt contributed significantly with multiple kills, particularly in critical moments. Nelson added key service aces, including two consecutive to push SEMO's lead to 15-12. Johnson delivered impactful kills, including the set-winning point at 24-23. Alandry Below facilitated numerous assists, setting up pivotal plays throughout the set..

BINGHAMTON 3, SIUE 1
EAST LANSING, Mich. - SIUE volleyball dropped a four-set battle to Binghamton. The Bearcats controlled the first two sets 25-20 and 25-12, before the Cougars rallied in the third set 25-23. Binghamton closed the match with a 25-16 win in the fourth set.
 
The loss moves SIUE to 5-5 while the Binghamton improves to 5-7.
 
Offensively the Cougars had 51 kills with a hitting percentage of .239, six aces, five blocks, 48 assists and 60 digs. Compared to Binghamton's, 55 kills with a hitting percentage of .341, seven aces, eight blocks, 49 assists and 58 digs.
 
Sophie Robinson set the pace for the Cougars with 14 kills and four aces, matching Clarie Jones with 11 digs. Paige Bernstein directed the offense with 23 assists, while Vienna Elliott had three blocks at the net.
 
Merima Smajlovic led the Bearcats with 21 kills and Reagan Kadel dished out 22 assists.

LITTLE ROCK 3, NEW MEXICO STATE 1
TULSA, Okla. - Little Rock battled its way through a grueling four sets Friday to put away New Mexico State in the opening match of the Tulsa Invitational at the Donald W. Reynolds Center. The Trojans (4-6) bounced back from a tough opening set loss to take the next three and drop the Aggies (7-5) by scores of 29-31, 25-19, 25-23, and 25-23.
 
In a match that lasted two hours and 28 minutes while featuring 40 tie scores and 22 lead changes, senior Crismeyli Rodriguez – one day shy of her 21st birthday – turned in the best performance of her career with a single match best 20 kills, 14 digs, and an attack percentage of .409. Her previous high for kills was 16.
 
Bella Cherry (20 digs, 11 kills, three blocks) and Dariana Valencia (21 assists, 15 digs) also turned in double-doubles for Little Rock. A'lanae Margaritha finished with 11 kills, three blocks, and hit .348 for the Trojans. Sophia Garrido finished with six kills, and Jaycee Kennedy hit .333 while turning in a team-high seven blocks.
 
Andrea Roman had 18 digs to go with eight assists, Kaylee Smith finished with 17 assists, and Grazia D'Amore had three blocks for the Trojan defense.

IOWA STATE 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 1
CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, Ill. - Kicking off the road trip this weekend at the University of Illinois, EIU squared off with Iowa State to open the Illinois Triangular. The Panthers drop to 6-3 and Iowa State improves to 9-1. 

With a week long break, EIU came out electric to start set one. A 3-0 scoring fueled by two blocks from Schroeder and company. With the Panther faithful roaring behind them, EIU continued their hot start and extended their early lead to 10-5, forcing Iowa State to use an early timeout. The break in the action did not faze Eastern Illinois, who extended their lead out to 16-9, forcing another ISU timeout. The run was charged by another 3-0 scoring run, two kills by Walker, and a brilliant serving stretch from Rochaix. However, Iowa State's 8-1 record is no fluke, and the Cyclones came storming back after talking things over during the timeout. With a blink of an eye, the Cyclones took their first lead of the match, 23-22, on the brink of taking set one. Coach Millar called time to energize the group, but Iowa State's momentum was too strong to overcome, and ISU closed set one with a victory. 

EIU opened the set with the lead at 11-8 with contributions from the usual suspects: Pereles, Rochaix, and Walker. With both teams keeping the score close without separation, a back-and-forth, action-packed contest was provided. In the middle of the set, Destiny Walker's offense was crucial, recording multiple kills, including a rocket shot spike extending the EIU lead to 15-11. A media timeout settled the crowd, but it was unable to quiet the Panthers, who forced a quick Cyclones timeout not too long after to talk things over. With the score at 18-14, ISU's coach Chris Johnson-Lynch challenged a pivotal EIU point. After video review, no touch was ruled, giving the point to the Cyclones. With flashbacks to set one looming, Iowa State kept their foot on the gas trying to ensure a comeback. However, set two had a different ending, which resulted in a Panthers win! The sophomore talent, Destiny Walker, with a right-side spike to the opposite end to close set two 25-21. 

The Cyclones gave the Panthers a taste of their own medicine with an early lead to start this set. Iowa State certainly settled into their game plan, catching both the Panthers and the crowd off guard and remaining in control of the momentum. Iowa State holding a 14-8 lead caused an Eastern Illinois timeout to avoid further damage. The Cyclones were in rhythm, extending their lead 19-12 with their sights set on regaining control of the match. The scoring run would continue, holding a 21-13 lead, forcing the second timeout of the set by Eastern Illinois. Unfortunately, the momentum wouldn't break EIU's way, and Iowa State concluded set three 25-14 to lead the match two sets to one. 

After a tough set three and the Cyclones wanting to close it out, the Panthers provided resistance. With both teams taking turns serving with no real scoring runs, an early lead was nowhere to be seen. Iowa State would make the first move in a tight battle, with a rare back-to-back scoring effort that caused an EIU timeout. The two-point lead continued to be held, avoiding any type of Panther momentum. With the Panthers trying to ignite a comeback, coach Johnson-Lynch challenged a block-touch call, which was confirmed and awarded to Eastern Illinois. Unfortunately, shortly after the break in the action, Iowa State pushed their lead to five with a 22-17 cushion. The Cyclones would go on to win 25-20 to close out the match.

IDAHO 3, TENNESSEE STATE 2
NASHVILLE - Recap coming soon.

TENNESSEE TECH 3, GREEN BAY 1
GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Tennessee Tech volleyball team snapped its losing streak on Friday night as the Golden Eagles came away with a 3-1 victory over tournament host Green Bay in the second day of Kendall's Battle at the Capital Credit Union Classic.

Tech (3-8) collected 52 total kills in the match with three double-digit efforts as Bella Powell led the way with 15 kills, while Audrey Berkebile had 11 and Ava Schubert had 10, including seven in the deciding fourth set.

Jordan Karlen ended the match with 42 assists, while Berkebile and Powell completed double-doubles as the former had 15 digs, the latter 16 and MK Roberts led the team with 18.

Diane Pichelman led the Phoenix (1-9) with 14 kills, while Gillian Koning had eight and Katie Schul had seven. Emma Johnson had 29 assists and Kennedy Schmitz had 14 digs.

In the first set, the Golden Eagles overcame a 4-1 start to tie the game at 5-5, then a service error at 7-6 gave Tech a lead it never relinquished en route to a 25-22 victory in game one. Powell powered the Golden Eagles to five kills and Berkebille had four as Karlen ended the set with 13 assists.

While there were two early ties at 1-1 and 7-7, Green Bay never trailed in the second set as the Phoenix tied the match at a set each with a 25-18 win with Green Bay leading by as many as eight points at its peak.

In the final two sets, the score was tied 15 times as the two teams battled back and forth with four lead changes in the third and three in the fourth. Green Bay led the third set 16-13 until an attack error and two kills for Schubert squared the game at 16. With the frame tied at 20 for the final time, the Golden Eagles outscored the Phoenix 5-2 in the final seven rallies with Berkebile getting an ace and a kill, Powell two kills and Schubert a kill to secure the Tech win.

Tech trailed 10-5 to open the fourth set, but battled back to even the game at 16. Green Bay retook a brief lead and the two teams swapped place until the match was tied for the final time at 21-all.

Jordyn Milhouse collected a kill to put Tech up for the last time, then a challenge reversed a Green Bay point to give Schubert a kill on a blocking error. Karlen delivered a service ace to force match point, then Schubert put the exclamation point down on a kill to end the match with Tech taking the final set 25-23.

VALPARAISO 3, WESTERN ILLINOIS 0
MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois volleyball fought in front of the home crowd on Friday evening, but Valparaiso handed the Leathernecks a 3-0 loss inside Western Hall. The defeat moves WIU to 3-9 on the season, while Valpo improves to 8-4.

The Leathernecks came out swinging behind kills from Kiyah Franklin and Kennedy Adair, trading points with Valparaiso to a 7-7 tie. Western Illinois then surged ahead with a block from Grace Kremer and back-to-back kills by Keyana Cruse, sparking an 11-8 lead that brought the crowd to its feet.

Valpo answered with a five-point run fueled by tough serving, forcing the Leathernecks to play from behind. WIU clawed back with a kill from Franklin and an ace from Madelyn Norton, closing the gap to 19-17. However, the Beacons' steady offense closed the set, despite a late swing from Adair. Valpo took the opener, 25-20.

Western Illinois carried momentum early in the second frame. A kill by Elizabeth Ziegler followed by an Adair strike gave the Leathernecks a 3-0 lead. Cruse added a pair of kills on the outside, while Franklin remained efficient through the middle, hitting .444 for the match. Setter Jaleah Bauss kept the offense balanced, dishing out 14 assists overall.

Valpo responded midway through the set with a six-point stretch that turned a narrow Leatherneck advantage into a deficit. WIU's defense fought to extend rallies, led by Karlie Lane, who posted 17 digs. Despite a block from Kremer and a kill from Cruse that slowed the Beacons briefly, Valpo pulled away and secured the second set, 25-17.

The third set featured early back-and-forth play. Franklin and Adair connected on back-to-back kills to keep WIU within striking distance, and Norton added five assists and a service ace to help fuel the offense. Off the bench, Caroline Clayton provided energy with a late kill, while Lane continued to anchor the back row with timely digs.

Valpo used its serving pressure to break open the set, forcing Leatherneck miscues while scoring on quick swings through the middle. Western Illinois kept battling, with Cruse and Adair combining for four kills in the frame, but the Beacons' balanced attack was too steady, closing the set 25-16 to complete the sweep.