Thursday, November 15
Clarksville, Tenn.
1:30 P.M.
UT Martin
vs
No. 2 Murray State
Photo by: UT Martin Sports Information
SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL READY FOR 13TH ALL-TIME APPEARANCE IN OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
11/13/2018 10:01:00 AM | Volleyball
ESPN3   Live Stats   OVC Championship Central   UTM Game Notes
MARTIN, Tenn. – For the first time since 2012, the University of Tennessee at Martin will be represented in the Ohio Valley Conference Volleyball Championship, as the No. 7 seed Skyhawks take on No. 2 Murray State in the tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, Nov. 15. First serve from the Winfield Dunn Center in Clarksville, Tenn. is set for 1:30 p.m.
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UT Martin is 8-11 all-time in the OVC Tournament, including a championship run in 2002. The Skyhawks are 1-2 all-time against Murray State in the postseason tournament, falling to the Racers 3-0 in 1994, defeating Murray State 3-2 in 2002 and falling 3-0 to the Racers in 2008. UT Martin has only played one OVC Tournament match in Clarksville – it's first-ever Division I postseason appearance in 1992.
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Boasting the most overall wins for the program since 2011, the Skyhawks (14-16, 7-9 OVC) earned a trip into the postseason after a pair of convincing victories during the final week of the regular season. Brooke Gyori (team-high 7.00 digs per set) and Hannah Phillips (team-best 21 kills and .246 attack percentage) helped UT Martin register a 3-0 home win over Southeast Missouri and a 3-1 road victory at Tennessee Tech to punch its ticket to the OVC Tournament.
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As a team, the Skyhawks led the OVC in service aces (181, 1.51 per set) during the regular season while Gyori (5.28 digs per set) and Justine Walker (1.14 blocks per set in league play) each led the conference in their respective statistical categories. Kenzie Hinshaw ranked second with 0.36 service aces per set and ninth in assists (7.95 per set) while Gintare Mackeviciute ranked in the top-five in blocks per set in OVC play (1.10, fourth) and overall hitting percentage (.283, fifth).
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UT Martin split the season series against its Thursday opponent, defeating Murray State in five sets (25-18, 20-25, 25-14, 24-26, 15-11) at home on Sept. 21 before falling in three sets (23-25, 19-25, 24-26) to the Racers in Murray on Oct. 27. Megan Fair led the way for the Skyhawks with 23 kills (2.88 per set), 34 digs (4.25 per set) and four service aces in the two regular season matchups. Gyori and Walker shored up the UT Martin defense with averages of 5.25 digs and 1.62 blocks per set, respectively.
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Murray State (19-9, 13-3 OVC) comes into the tournament as the hottest team in the league, as it wiped out an 0-3 start in OVC play with 13 consecutive victories to close out the regular season. Rachel Giustino led the conference in kills per set (4.02) and points per set (4.51) while Dacia Brown ranked second in both of those categories with 3.83 kills and 4.14 points per set. Becca Fernandez scooped up a league-high 5.89 digs per set against OVC opposition.
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The Skyhawks' quarterfinals matchup against Murray State can be viewed live on ESPN3. That link - as well as a link for live stats - is located at the top of the webpage. For complete coverage of all matches in the tournament, access the OVC Championship Central website at the link above.
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MARTIN, Tenn. – For the first time since 2012, the University of Tennessee at Martin will be represented in the Ohio Valley Conference Volleyball Championship, as the No. 7 seed Skyhawks take on No. 2 Murray State in the tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, Nov. 15. First serve from the Winfield Dunn Center in Clarksville, Tenn. is set for 1:30 p.m.
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UT Martin is 8-11 all-time in the OVC Tournament, including a championship run in 2002. The Skyhawks are 1-2 all-time against Murray State in the postseason tournament, falling to the Racers 3-0 in 1994, defeating Murray State 3-2 in 2002 and falling 3-0 to the Racers in 2008. UT Martin has only played one OVC Tournament match in Clarksville – it's first-ever Division I postseason appearance in 1992.
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Boasting the most overall wins for the program since 2011, the Skyhawks (14-16, 7-9 OVC) earned a trip into the postseason after a pair of convincing victories during the final week of the regular season. Brooke Gyori (team-high 7.00 digs per set) and Hannah Phillips (team-best 21 kills and .246 attack percentage) helped UT Martin register a 3-0 home win over Southeast Missouri and a 3-1 road victory at Tennessee Tech to punch its ticket to the OVC Tournament.
          Â
As a team, the Skyhawks led the OVC in service aces (181, 1.51 per set) during the regular season while Gyori (5.28 digs per set) and Justine Walker (1.14 blocks per set in league play) each led the conference in their respective statistical categories. Kenzie Hinshaw ranked second with 0.36 service aces per set and ninth in assists (7.95 per set) while Gintare Mackeviciute ranked in the top-five in blocks per set in OVC play (1.10, fourth) and overall hitting percentage (.283, fifth).
          Â
UT Martin split the season series against its Thursday opponent, defeating Murray State in five sets (25-18, 20-25, 25-14, 24-26, 15-11) at home on Sept. 21 before falling in three sets (23-25, 19-25, 24-26) to the Racers in Murray on Oct. 27. Megan Fair led the way for the Skyhawks with 23 kills (2.88 per set), 34 digs (4.25 per set) and four service aces in the two regular season matchups. Gyori and Walker shored up the UT Martin defense with averages of 5.25 digs and 1.62 blocks per set, respectively.
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Murray State (19-9, 13-3 OVC) comes into the tournament as the hottest team in the league, as it wiped out an 0-3 start in OVC play with 13 consecutive victories to close out the regular season. Rachel Giustino led the conference in kills per set (4.02) and points per set (4.51) while Dacia Brown ranked second in both of those categories with 3.83 kills and 4.14 points per set. Becca Fernandez scooped up a league-high 5.89 digs per set against OVC opposition.
          Â
The Skyhawks' quarterfinals matchup against Murray State can be viewed live on ESPN3. That link - as well as a link for live stats - is located at the top of the webpage. For complete coverage of all matches in the tournament, access the OVC Championship Central website at the link above.
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Players Mentioned
OH
/ Volleyball
L/DS
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S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
MB/OPP
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