SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL EARNS WEEKEND OVC SPLIT WITH FOUR-SET VICTORY AT EASTERN ILLINOIS

Saturday, September 29

Charleston, Ill.

2 P.M.

UT Martin

8-9 (2-2OVC)

Eastern Illinois

6-13 (1-3OVC)

UT Martin

Eastern Illinois

SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL EARNS WEEKEND OVC SPLIT WITH FOUR-SET VICTORY AT EASTERN ILLINOIS

9/29/2018 7:52:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

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CHARLESTON, Ill. – The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team evened its Ohio Valley Conference record to 2-2 with a four-set road victory at Eastern Illinois (26-24, 25-12, 24-26, 25-19) today.

The Skyhawks (8-9) received several standout individual performances today, as Jamie Rys continued her recent surge with a career-best 17 kills. That marked the second straight career-high kill total in as many days for the sophomore out of Bloomington, Ill., who also tied a season-high with 14 digs for her second double-double of the season.

Hannah Phillips also added 13 kills on a .270 attack percentage and 11 digs for her first career double-double. Megan Fair posted 12 kills and a career-best 26 digs while Kenzie Hinshaw (52 assists, 14 digs) gave UT Martin its fourth player with a double-double in the match.

The Skyhawk defense was guided by Brooke Gyori (match-high 27 digs) and sophomore Justine Walker (match-best five blocks) as the duo helped UT Martin emerge victorious in a match that featured 45 tie scores and 26 lead changes.

Neither side led by more than two points for the entirety of the first set. Phillips dialed up a pair of kills during an early 4-0 Skyhawk run while Rys was responsible for back-to-back kills that resulted in a 19-17 UT Martin advantage. After the Panthers took a 23-22 lead, the Skyhawks called timeout and ended the set on a 4-1 run – thanks to a pair of Phillips kills. Rys (seven kills), Hinshaw (17 assists) and Gyori (10 digs) led UT Martin to start off the match.

The Skyhawks never trailed in the second set, doubling up Eastern Illinois by a 16-8 margin following a 7-1 run. The Panthers chipped UT Martin's lead down to 17-11 but Jessica Reynolds provided three kills and two blocks during an 8-1 run that wrapped up the set and gave the Skyhawks a 2-0 lead. The trio of Gyori, Fair and Hinshaw each had five digs as UT Martin sided out at 84 percent (11-of-13) in the second stanza.

Phillips piled up three of the Skyhawks' first five kills in the third set, helping UT Martin drift out to an early lead. The Panthers briefly took a 14-13 advantage but the Skyhawks scored seven of the next nine points on their way to match point at 24-21. However, Eastern Illinois accounted for the final five points of the set to extend the match. Fair scooped up a remarkable 12 digs in the set to pace UT Martin.

Rys was responsible for three consecutive Skyhawk kills in the early stages of the fourth set, helping power UT Martin out to an 8-6 lead. The score was knotted at 16-all before a 5-0 Skyhawk run, led by a pair of Fair kills. Eastern Illinois wouldn't get any closer than three points the rest of the way, as back-to-back kills by Fair and Phillips concluded the match. Hinshaw divvied out 16 assists for an offense that hit .286 in the final set for UT Martin.

The Skyhawks wrap up a three-match road swing on Tuesday, Oct. 2 when they travel to Cape Girardeau, Mo. to take on OVC foe Southeast Missouri.