SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL KEEPS ROLLING WITH A THRILLING 3-2 WIN OVER THE MEMPHIS TIGERS

Friday, August 31

Martin, Tenn.

5 P.M.

UT Martin

3-2

Memphis

2-4

Memphis

UT Martin

SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL KEEPS ROLLING WITH A THRILLING 3-2 WIN OVER THE MEMPHIS TIGERS

8/31/2018 10:29:00 PM | Volleyball

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MARTIN, Tenn. – For the second straight day, the University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball squad gutted out a five-set victory as it collected a 25-21, 22-25, 19-25, 25-15, 15-12 triumph over Memphis on Day 2 of the Skyhawk Invitational.

In a match that featured 37 tie scores and 16 lead changes, UT Martin improved to 3-2 on the season behind a gritty all-around performance. Kenzie Hinshaw dialed up her fourth consecutive double-double of the season, equaling a career-high with 51 assists to go along with 13 digs and four of the Skyhawks' eight service aces.

Brooke Gyori tied a career-high with 29 digs for UT Martin while Megan Fair added her second straight double-double (11 kills, 11 digs) in as many days. Hannah Phillips came away with a team-best 14 kills to help pace a balanced Skyhawk offense that had six different players produce six or more kills.

UT Martin claimed the first set after making an extended run down the stretch. The Skyhawks trailed by as many as five points (16-11) before a 14-5 UT Martin run closed out the set. Back-to-back service aces by Hinshaw catapulted the Skyhawks ahead by a 19-18 margin and UT Martin didn't look back from that point forward. Hinshaw assisted on 12 of the Skyhawks' 13 kills while adding a match-high seven digs in the opening stanza.

The second set was a back-and-forth affair as no team led by more than three points for the duration of the set. UT Martin received three consecutive points off Phillips kills to tie the score at 21-all but the visiting Tigers responded with the next three points on their way to the win. Phillips (five kills) and Gyori (six digs) led the Skyhawks in the second set.

UT Martin took advantage of several Memphis errors to start off the third stanza, jumping out to a 13-8 advantage. However, the Tigers whittled away at their deficit and eventually scored five unanswered points as part of a 10-3 run to wrap up the set. Hinshaw came away with 10 assists in the set but he Skyhawk offense struggled to the tune of an .054 attack percentage.

The UT Martin offense reclaimed its mojo in the fourth set, hitting .324 as a collective unit. The Skyhawks essentially led for the entire set, going ahead by as many as 10 points on three different occasions. Fair was perfect with four kills in four attempts while Gyori's seven digs established the tone for UT Martin defensively.

The decisive fifth set included seven ties and three lead changes. The Tigers snared a 10-8 lead before a timeout reset their gameplan. A pair of Memphis errors and two huge Jessica Reynolds kills followed as the Skyhawks suddenly went ahead 12-10 as part of a 7-2 surge to complete the set. Reynolds showed remarkable composure in the final set, as the freshman's three kills led the way.

The Skyhawk Invitational continues on Saturday, Sept. 1. Memphis and Central Arkansas play at 11 a.m. before the tournament's two undefeated teams in UT Martin and UAB tangle at 1 p.m. Florida A&M and Central Arkansas follow at 3 p.m. before UAB takes on Memphis at 5 p.m.