SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL CLOSES OUT TENNESSEE STATE IN A FIVE-SET OVC TRIUMPH

Friday, November 12

Martin, Tenn.

6 p.m.

UT Martin

14-16,10-7OVC

Tennessee State

10-16,2-15OVC

Tennessee State

UT Martin

SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL CLOSES OUT TENNESSEE STATE IN A FIVE-SET OVC TRIUMPH

11/12/2021 10:57:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score PDF Boxscore

MARTIN, Tenn. – Several University of Tennessee at Martin performers stood out this evening as the Skyhawks seized control during the fifth set of a 3-2 victory (25-19, 25-22, 22-25, 20-25, 15-10) against Tennessee State in Ohio Valley Conference volleyball action.

Karen Scanlon earned her ninth double-double of the season with team-highs of 15 kills, 24 digs and four blocks for the Skyhawks (14-16, 10-7), who set a new OVC wins record in the Jaclynn Wilson Era. Scanlon hit .268 for the evening while her 24 digs were just one shy of her career-high tally, set last year at Eastern Kentucky.

Logan Wallick equaled Scanlon for the team-high with 15 kills while Dylan Mott continued her run of strong defensive play with a season-best 24 digs to tie Scanlon in that category. Haeleigh Paulino contributed 24 assists, a team-high three service aces and nine digs while Olivia Saunders (11 kills) and Addy Vaughn (16 assists) pitched in noteworthy efforts as well.

The match featured 26 tie scores and 13 lead changes (all in the first four sets) before UT Martin clicked in the decisive fifth stanza. The Skyhawks accounted for the first five points of the final set and sided out at 72 percent (8-of-11) to notch the win.

UT Martin scored three of the first four points of the match but a 6-1 run gave the Tigers the early momentum in the opening set. A pair of Saunders kills and two Baillie Kearns service aces took place during a 6-0 Skyhawk surge before Wallick blasted three straight kills and four out of a six-point span. Scanlon followed up with two more kills before teaming alongside Addison Conley for a block assist on set point. Scanlon and Wallick shared the team lead with four kills apiece while Mott's six digs guided UT Martin defensively in the first set.

Scanlon and Conley joined forces once again to begin the second set as the senior duo combined for four kills during the Skyhawks' first seven points. Another Scanlon kill – sandwiched around rally killers out of Vaughn and Paulino – extended UT Martin's lead out to 13-9. After Tennessee State battled back to even the score at 17-17, Wallick had two kills during a 4-1 run to flip the score back in favor of the Skyhawks. Although the Tigers would ultimately tie the score once again at 21-all, Scanlon powered through for two kills – including the set-clincher – during a 4-1 run to wrap up the 2-0 advantage in the match. Scanlon registered seven kills on 12 swings while adding five digs in the second stanza.

Tennessee State extended the match after scoring 10 of the final 15 points in the third set. A Kayla Carrell service ace padded UT Martin's lead out to 6-2 early but Tigers stormed back to go on top by a 10-8 margin. Back-to-back kills from Wallick helped spur a Skyhawk run as UT Martin had its eyes on a sweep after mounting a 17-15 advantage. Unfortunately, that's when Tennessee State made its late run to force a fourth set. Scanlon amassed six of the Skyhawks' 18 digs during the third set.

The fourth stanza was the most competitive of the night as the two sides scrapped for nine ties and five lead changes. Vaughn managed a pair of early kills as UT Martin raced out to a 9-7 advantage before a 9-2 Tiger surge. Tennessee State eventually led 20-14 but the Skyhawks kept fighting, whittling their deficit to only two points after the second of back-to-back kills from Wallick made the score 21-19. However, the Tigers posted four of the final five points to send the match into a fifth stanza. Wallick had a team-high three kills while Saunders produced two kills and two blocks in the fourth set.

As previously mentioned, UT Martin never trailed in the fifth set but it wasn't a cakewalk to the finish line. Tennessee State closed to within two points at 8-6 but the Skyhawks responded with a 4-0 run to essentially ice the victory. Saunders and Vaughn each had two kills apiece down the stretch before a block assist from the tandem of Wallick and Olivia Lucia on match point. UT Martin had 12 kills with just two errors in the fifth set, hitting .312 while Mott garnered five digs during the abbreviated stanza.

The Skyhawks finish off the 2021 regular season tomorrow when these two sides meet once again at 6 p.m. Prior to the match, UT Martin will honor Francela Ulate, Conley, Reynolds, Scanlon and Wallick as part of Senior Night festivities.