SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL SUFFERS 3-0 SETBACK AT DEFENDING OVC CHAMPION MURRAY STATE

Friday, October 4

Murray, Ky.

6 p.m.

UT Martin

5-12 (1-2OVC)

Murray State

9-6 (3-0OVC)

UT Martin

Murray State

SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL SUFFERS 3-0 SETBACK AT DEFENDING OVC CHAMPION MURRAY STATE

10/4/2019 9:04:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score PDF

MURRAY, Ky. – The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball squad could not find any momentum tonight as the Skyhawks fell in three sets (18-25, 16-25, 16-25) at Ohio Valley Conference foe Murray State.

Making just her second career start at libero, freshman Lucy Kaufman registered a career-high 14 digs while Justine Walker added a match-best four blocks to pace UT Martin defensively. Gintare Mackeviciute hit .455 while sharing the team lead with five kills and Kenzie Hinshaw delivered 17 assists for the Skyhawk offense.

UT Martin began the match with a 3-1 lead – including consecutive block assists by Walker and Karen Scanlon to start off the first set. The Racers scored the next five points but soon thereafter, the Skyhawks reeled off four unanswered points – capped off with an assisted block by Mackeviciute and Logan Wallick. That would trim UT Martin's deficit to two points but a 9-1 Murray State run would soon put the set out of reach, despite a late surge that included kills by Scanlon and Jessica Reynolds.

Kills by Walker and Reynolds helped the Skyhawks even the score in the early stages of the second stanza. The Racers used a 10-4 run to create some separation before Wallick (kill) and Hinshaw (service ace) accounted for back-to-back UT Martin points. Murray State answered with five of the next six points and although Mackeviciute came away with a pair of late kills, the Racers managed to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The third set began with a kill by Walker but Murray State responded with a 6-0 run. Scanlon quickly snapped the Racer surge with three kills in the span of five points for the Skyhawks. UT Martin continued to chip away as five different Skyhawks (Addison Conley, Mackeviciute, Hannah Phillips, Wallick and Walker) unleashed kills down the stretch. A Murray State service error pulled UT Martin within five points at 21-16 but the Racers wrapped things up with four unanswered points to end the match.

The Skyhawks conclude a four-match road swing to start OVC play tomorrow when they take on Austin Peay. First serve from Clarksville, Tenn. is set for 2 p.m.