DEFENSE STEPS UP LATE IN FIVE-SET SKYHAWK VICTORY OVER FLORIDA A&M; GYORI AND HINSHAW NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Sunday, September 2

Martin, Tenn.

11 A.M.

UT Martin

4-3

Florida A&M

0-7

Florida A&M

UT Martin

DEFENSE STEPS UP LATE IN FIVE-SET SKYHAWK VICTORY OVER FLORIDA A&M; GYORI AND HINSHAW NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

9/2/2018 2:43:00 PM | Volleyball

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MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team staved off elimination in the fourth set and bounced back with a dominant performance in the final stanza as it came through for a 3-2 win (25-12, 14-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-4) over Florida A&M today.

The victory was the third in four tries for UT Martin (4-3) in the Skyhawk Invitational, as all three of its wins in the tournament came in five sets. The Skyhawk victory today came behind a commanding defensive performance, as UT Martin doubled its previous season-high in blocks with 19 swats – 11 of which came over the final two sets.

Justine Walker was responsible for one of the best matches of her young career, as the sophomore out of Gilbert, Ariz. was responsible for a team-best 13 kills (on a .474 attack percentage), a match-high nine blocks and seven digs for the Skyhawks.

Kenzie Hinshaw came through with her sixth straight double-double (40 assists, 10 digs) while Brooke Gyori (match-high 22 digs) and Gintare Mackeviciute (11 kills, career-best eight blocks) also helped carry UT Martin to the finish line.

The Skyhawks led wire-to-wire in the opening set, dialing up a 6-1 lead early on. Jessica Reynolds' kill for set point provided UT Martin with its biggest lead of the set at 13 points (25-12). Mackeviciute had four kills (on five swings) and four blocks while freshman Addison Conley also chipped in four blocks after making her first career start.

UT Martin led by an 8-5 margin in the second set before the Rattlers went on an extended run. Florida A&M used a 13-1 surge to create some separation and the Skyhawks could not get within seven points the rest of the way. Gyori accumulated six digs in the set to provide a bright spot for UT Martin.

Jamie Rys began the third set with a kill and a service ace as the Skyhawks once again controlled the early portion with a 10-8 advantage. However, the Rattlers came out of a timeout on a 6-1 run and did not trail from that point forward. Hinshaw assisted on 11 of the 14 UT Martin kills in the set.

Things looked grim for the Skyhawks in the fourth set after UT Martin trailed by a 21-15 margin. The Skyhawks turned it around with a 10-2 run to round out the stanza, as they were led by Walker's three kills and two blocks in that span. Walker generated team-highs of five kills and four blocks for the entirety of the fourth set.

A reenergized UT Martin squad took the floor for the fifth set as a Walker kill ignited a 5-1 run to begin the stanza. At one point, the Skyhawks received four consecutive points via blocks as Mackeviciute had her hand in three of those swats before her match-ending kill gave UT Martin its third win in the past four days.

Following the tournament, Gyori and Hinshaw were named as one of eight members on the all-tournament team. Gyori produced 92 digs (4.84 per set), 20 assists and four service aces while Hinshaw tallied 166 assists (8.74 per set), 49 digs, 15 kills, a .375 attack percentage and nine service aces in the four matches.

The Skyhawks head back out on the road next week as they head to Macon, Ga. for the Mercer Bears Classic. UT Martin takes on Jacksonville (noon) and Mercer (5 p.m.) on Friday, Sept. 7 before taking on Alabama A&M at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8.