UT MARTIN DISPATCHES CENTRAL ARKANSAS IN FIVE SETS TO START OFF SKYHAWK INVITATIONAL

Thursday, August 30

Martin, Tenn.

6 P.M.

UT Martin

2-2

Central Arkansas

3-1

Central Arkansas

UT Martin

UT MARTIN DISPATCHES CENTRAL ARKANSAS IN FIVE SETS TO START OFF SKYHAWK INVITATIONAL

8/30/2018 9:39:00 PM | Volleyball

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MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team started its home tournament on the right foot with a thrilling 3-2 victory over defending Southland Conference champion Central Arkansas (19-25, 25-20, 25-19, 20-25, 15-10) on Day 1 of the Skyhawk Invitational.

UT Martin (2-2) saw three players record double-doubles this evening as the offense posted a season-best .228 attack percentage. Megan Fair dialed up a match-high 14 kills to go along with 11 digs while Jamie Rys produced her first career double-double behind a career-best 11 kills and 11 digs. Kenzie Hinshaw also masterfully directed the offense with 47 assists, 15 digs and a match-high three service aces.

Gintare Mackeviciute came away with 11 kills (against just two errors) on 18 swings for a .500 hitting percentage for the Skyhawks. Hannah Phillips pitched in 10 kills and a team-best four blocks while Brooke Gyori spearheaded the UT Martin defense with a team-high 19 digs.

The Skyhawks scored three of the first four points in the first set but Central Arkansas used a 7-2 run midway through the stanza to seize the early momentum. Rys was on fire early, as she was responsible for team-highs of four kills and four digs in the opening set.

Fair and Mackeviciute combined for six consecutive UT Martin kills during a crucial 11-2 run in the second set. As a result, the Skyhawks flipped a 10-8 deficit into a 19-12 advantage and cruised to tie the match at 1-all. Fair slammed down five kills in 10 swings while Hinshaw handed out 11 assists as UT Martin hit .333 in the second stanza.

Three more kills off the powerful right hand of Fair helped the Skyhawks claim a 13-9 lead in the third set. After the Sugar Bears evened the score at 18-all, Phillips generated two huge kills down the stretch to give UT Martin a 2-1 lead in the match. Fair (five kills) and Hinshaw (10 assists) once again stood out for the Skyhawks, who hit at a .375 clip in the set.

Central Arkansas stormed back in the fourth set to even the match at 2-2. After Hinshaw's service ace opened the scoring in the set, the Sugar Bears unreeled an 8-0 run and UT Martin could not get any closer than three points the rest of the way. Hinshaw and Phillips had team-highs of 11 assists and five digs, respectively, in the set.

Gyori helped the Skyhawks rise to the occasion in the decisive fifth set, as the senior libero out of Oregon, Ohio was responsible for seven of the team's 13 digs. Her gritty defensive play helped UT Martin turn an 8-6 deficit into a 14-8 advantage as a Rys kill wrapped up the set and completed the Skyhawk comeback.

Day 2 of the Skyhawk Invitational is on tap for Friday, Aug. 31. Florida A&M and Memphis start the day with an 11 a.m. match and will be followed by a Central Arkansas and UAB matchup at 1 p.m. UT Martin hosts Memphis at 5 p.m. before the final match of the day pits UAB against Florida A&M at 7:30 p.m.