SATURDAY'S SCORES
Austin Peay 3, @Eastern Kentucky 1 (25-22, 20-25, 25-9, 25-18)
Murray State 3, @Eastern Illinois 2 (12-25, 22-25, 25-12, 25-23, 15-10)
@Southeast Missouri 3, UT Martin 0 (25-17, 25-14, 27-25)
@Morehead State 3, Tennessee State 1 (25-16, 25-16, 25-26, 25-9)
@Missouri 3, SIU Edwardsville 0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-21)

AUSTIN PEAY 3, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1
RICHMOND, Ky. - Austin Peay snapped Eastern Kentucky's six-match home court winning streak with a 3-1 win on Saturday at McBrayer Arena.  Five Lady Govs registered 10 or more kills and two finished with double-doubles.  Set scores were 25-22, 20-25, 25-9 and 25-18.

Jessica Mollman led the Lady Govs (19-6, 12-2 OVC) with a match-best 13 kills.  Kirstin Distler finished with 12 kills and 15 digs.  Stephanie Champine and Taylor Skinner each recorded 11 kills.  Champine added 13 digs and two block assists.  Ilyanna Hernandez contributed 10 kills.

Sophomore Amanda Fago led the Colonels (6-17, 5-8 OVC) with 10 kills.  She made only two errors in 26 total attacks for a .308 attack percentage.  Kate Hendle finished with 32 assists and eight digs.  Abby O'Connor led all players with 22 digs.

Austin Peay totaled 58 kills and eight service aces.  Eastern Kentucky had only 39 kills.

The first set saw 12 ties and eight lead changes.  Lindsey Loescher tied the score, 22-22, for the final time with an ace for EKU.  The Lady Govs scored the next three points to finish off the set.  A kill by Skinner and an ace by Sarah Alisaleh, sandwiched around an Eastern attack error, put APSU in front 1-0.

An 8-0 run midway through the second set gave control to the Colonels.  Autumn Harms recorded two kills and three others had one each during the run.  A Lady Gov attack error capped the run and put EKU in front 17-9.  Austin Peay closed the gap to two, but wouldn't get any closer.  A kill by Groudle gave Eastern Kentucky a 25-20 second set victory and tied the match 1-1.

Austin Peay scored the first four points of the third set and never looked back.  An ace by Champine made it 11-3.  An ace by Distler stretched the lead to 14-6.  Back-to-back aces by Kayla Grantham and a kill by Mollman had the Lady Govs on top 20-8.  Champine's kill ended the set, 25-9, and gave the visitors a 2-1 lead.

The fourth set remained close until the end.  A kill by Groudle made it a one-point game in favor of APSU, 16-15.  However, the Lady Govs went on an 8-2 run to build a 24-17 lead.  Mollman's kill two plays later ended the set, 25-18, and the match.

MURRAY STATE 3, EASTERN ILLINOIS 2
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Despite enjoying an early two-set to zero lead, the Eastern Illinois volleyball squad was unable to complete the match win, as visiting Murray State raced back to take the five-set heartbreaker (14-25, 22-25, 25-12, 25-23, 15-10) on Saturday afternoon at Lantz Arena.

The loss drops the Panthers to 10-18 overall and 3-12 in Ohio Valley Conference play. Murray State, who were tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the league title, improved to 8-16 and 8-6. The five-set win at Lantz Arena was only the Racer's second road win of the year, and eighth straight over the Panthers, dating back to 2006.

Three Panthers finished with double-digit kills, including two double-double performances. Junior outside hitter Alex Zwettler had a match-high 20 kills and added 13 digs to register her 16th duo-duo of the season and 38th in her career. Senior Jessica Wheeler added 11 kills and 10 digs to notch her third double-double this season and fifth all-time. Sophomore middle Melanie Boykins also finished with 11 put-a-ways, notching her third consecutive double-digit kill performance of the season.

Sophomore setter Chrissie Albers also nabbed a 40+ assist/10+ dig double-double, her fourth of the season and all-time, as she dished out 43 assists and upped 18 digs.

Defensively, sophomore libero Brittany Wallace won the digging game, setting a new personal single-match high with 28 digs. Also earning 10+ digs for the Panthers was junior Kelsey Orr with 11. At the net, Eastern finished with 13 total blocks, as junior middle blocker Jorie Dieter set a new career high block total of nine. Wheeler added five roofs and Zwettler nabbed four stops.

Team-wise, the Panthers came up just short in total kills (60 to 64) hitting (.188 to .190), and aces (four to five), but led the Racers for assists (56 to 54), digs (89 to 81) and blocks (13 to 12).

The Racers were led by junior Ashley Nenninger's 17 kills, while sophomore Logan Su added 14 put-a-ways behind just one hitting error. Setter Jade Guo and Sara Hayden each finished with nine kills, with Hayden leading all players with 10 assisted roofs. Libero Kayleah Sauer upped 25 attacks to lead her squad in that stat category. However, the Panthers were able to keep Racer standout Becca Lamb off her game as she finished with just seven kills.

The match started off pretty well for the Panthers, as they pulled away from an opening set tie of 11-all and exploded for a 14-3 burst to easily win the frame. In fact, the Panthers finished with zero hitting errors off a .452 attack, nailing 14 total kills and out-blocking the Racers, four to none.

The second set was a much tighter affair with seven ties and four lead changes, however the Panthers eventually pulled out the 25-22, even though the home team was down 20-17 at one point in the match. But a couple Murray State miscues and crucial kills from Kelsey Orr and Chrissie Albers helped EIU enjoy a 23-20 advantage. Murray State did make things interesting, getting the next two points off consecutive kills, but Jessica Wheeler nailed a shot and then a Racer error gave the set to Eastern. With the win, EIU would take a commanding two set to none lead into the break.

From that point on, however, the Racers took control the match, coming back from the break to take the third set with ease, winning 25-12. That included a stretch of 13 points to only two for the Panthers. EIU ended up hitting zero percent in the set as compared to a .312 clip by Murray.

The fourth set, which had five ties and just one lead change, had the Racers taking a three point lead early on at 6-3, but the Panthers would tie it up at seven and then at 16-all. However, the visitors were able to pull ahead off a 5-1 run to lead 21-17. But that's when Eastern would battle back, eventually tying the set at 23-all thanks to kills from Alex Zwettler and Wheeler. Unfortunately straight kills by the Racers would pull the match even at two-sets apiece with the Racer win of 25-23.

The crucial fifth frame had the Racers lead early at 2-0. They would eventually pull ahead 5-2 and maintain a three-point advantage at the 8-5 point when the squads changed sides of the court. At that point, Eastern put on a final push, as a Murray State error and kills from Dieter and Zwettler would tie the set at 9-all. But the OVC rivals from the bluegrass state were able to pull off the come-from-behind victory. 

SOUTHEAST MISSOUIR 3, UT MARTIN 0
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - The Redhawks volleyball team didn't need any tricks or any treats, just old-fashion defense to defeat Ohio Valley Conference rival UT Martin 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 27-25) at Houck Field House on Saturday afternoon. The Redhawks held the visiting Skyhawks to a .035 attack percentage, the best defensive effort by the Redhawks this season.

The Skyhawks (7-18, 2-13 OVC) managed just 23 kills while committing 19 attack errors. The Redhawks (10-15, 6-8 OVC) on the other hand finished with a .244 attack percentage. It was the tenth time this season the Redhawks have finished with an attack percentage over .200 and the third time in four matches.

The Redhawks jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead before the Skyhawks rallied a took a 11-9 lead. The teams would exchange leads. After the Skyhawks tied the set at 18-18, the Redhawks responded with a 7-0 run to end the set. Five of the seven points came from attack errors by the Skyhawks as they finished with a -.125 attack percentage.

The second set was all Redhawks as they jumped ahead 5-0 and never looked back. Emily Hughes (St. Benedict/Memphis, Tenn.) ended the set with a kill for the 11-point win. 18 of the Redhawks 25 points came by kill as they recorded a .457 attack percentage in the set.

The third and final set was a highly competitive and entertaining affair as it featured 11 ties and seven lead changes. The Skyhawks led late and held a 21-18 advantage before the Redhawks chipped away at the lead and tied the set at 23. The Skyhawks won the next point and were serving for set point until the Redhawks recorded the side out. The Redhawks would then go on a 3-0 run highlighted by Karleigh DeLong's (Santiago/Corona, Calif.) match-winning kill.

With the three-set win the Redhawks extended their home winning streak over the Skyhawks to eight-straight at Houck Field House. The Redhawks improved their record against the Skyhawks to 29-1 at Houck.

DeLong led all players with 16 kills including nine in the final set. She finished with a season-high .368 attack percentage. She also added nine digs, two service aces and four block assists.

Hughes added ten kills and a match-high .381 attack percentage. Defensively she matched DeLong with four block assists.

Emily Maher (Marcus/Flower Mound, Texas.) added nine kills and finished with a .364 attack percentage.

Sarah Barth (Central Community/Germantown, Ill.) handed out a match-high 37 assists and chipped in seven digs.

Molly Davis (Burris/Muncie, Ind.) led the defensive effort with 14 digs. Claire Keaton (Incarnate Word Academy/St. Louis, Mo.) added 13 digs to go with her seven kills.

The Skyhawks were led by Lauren Montague and Britany Wilburn who each finished with six kills. Montague led the team with 12 digs.

MOREHEAD STATE 3, TENNESSEE STATE 1
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Senior libero Kristina Schoo broke the Morehead State career dig record, and middle blocker Emma Keough shattered the school single match record for hitting percentage as the Morehead State volleyball team defeated Tennessee State 3-1 (25-16, 25-16, 24-26, 25-9) Saturday at Wetherby Gym. The Eagles improved to 18-8 overall and 10-4 in the OVC.

Schoo entered the match needing only six digs to break Cherelle Lampkins MSU career mark of 2,082. She finished with 21 scoops for the second straight day to give her now 2,098. Keough, meanwhile, led the team with 14 kills and did not commit an error on 17 attempts for a school record .824 attack percentage. Along with her offensive dominance, she also was stout on defense with nine total blocks.

Freshman Annie Gruenschlaeger was almost as efficient, landing a career high 13 kills with zero errors for a .520 hitting percentage to go along with five total blocks. As a team, MSU hit a season best .367 and notched 14 team blocks.

Tennessee State (3-21/2-10 OVC) was topped by Shaquita Williams' 12 kills, while Naomi Wells and Terrakka Walker tallied 11 each. Walker completed a double-double with 13 digs.

In the first two sets, the Eagles picked up 28 kills and committed only three errors in winning both 25-16. Tennessee State landed 17 kills and held off a late MSU rally in the third to force the fourth. The Tigers led 24-21, but MSU bounced back to tie the match at 24 before TSU scored the final two points. In the final set, MSU held TSU to a negative attack effort while hitting .367 itself.

MISSOURI 3, SIU EDWARDSVILLE 0
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Despite a match-leading 13 kills from Sydney Winslow, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville dropped a three-set decision at Missouri 25-16, 25-21, 25-21.

The Tigers held the edge in serving and blocking. Missouri garnered six service aces and eight total blocks while the Cougars went without a service ace and managed three blocks against the 15-9 Tigers.

Julianna Klein and Paola Ampudia led Missouri with nine kills each.

The Cougars held their ground in all three sets. In set two, SIUE was down 8-2 but rallied back to tie the score 14-14 on one of Winslow's kills. The Cougars would stay as close as 21-20 before the Tigers picked up a pair of kills down the stretch from Brittany Brimmage to finish off the set.

SIUE and Missouri finished with nearly identical hitting percentage. SIUE completed the match with a .207 hitting percentage while the Tigers ended up with a .212 hitting percentage. It was the third time in the last four matches that the 1-22 Cougars have hit better than .200 for a match.