UT MARTIN READY FOR 15TH ALL-TIME APPEARANCE IN THE OVC VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Thursday, November 18

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

3 p.m.

UT Martin

Murray State

UT MARTIN READY FOR 15TH ALL-TIME APPEARANCE IN THE OVC VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

11/16/2021 5:59:00 PM | Volleyball

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MARTIN, Tenn. – Fresh off posting its best winning percentage in league play in nearly two decades, the University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team enters the Ohio Valley Conference Championship event on a mission. The No. 4 seed Skyhawks will collide with the fifth-seeded Murray State Racers in the tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

UT Martin was a perfect 2-0 against Murray State this season, defeating the Racers twice at home. The Skyhawks won in five sets (20-25, 25-21, 25-20, 15-25, 15-8) on Oct. 8 before a 3-1 victory (25-20, 25-16, 23-25, 25-17) the next day.

Karen Scanlon stood out in the season series against Murray State, averaging 3.11 kills, 2.22 blocks and 2.00 digs per set – including a triple-double in the first matchup. Logan Wallick (2.89 kills per set on a .338 hitting percentage), Haeleigh Paulino (team-highs of 45 assists, five service aces), Baillie Kearns (team-best 25 digs) and Zoe Merriweather (1.33 blocks per set) additionally performed well against the Racers this fall.

UT Martin is 8-13 all-time in the OVC Championship tournament, including a 1-2 mark in matches played in Cape Girardeau (playing in 1997 and 2000). The Skyhawks, who generated a 5-1 record this season against the other three squads in their half of the bracket, will look to advance past the OVC tournament first round for the first time since 2011. UT Martin has faced the Racers five previous times in the postseason, including each of its last two appearances (2018 and 2019).

This week marks the second visit to Houck Field House this season for the Skyhawks as they defeated OVC co-champion Southeast Missouri in five sets on Sept. 29. That was the second victory in a six-match winning streak, which was UT Martin's longest such run in a decade.

The Skyhawks (15-16) managed an 11-7 OVC record this season as their .611 winning percentage against league foes was the program's best since 2002. UT Martin relied on a stingy defensive attack throughout the 2021 campaign as it currently ranks in the top-15 nationally in digs (1,807, 12^th) and total blocks (263.5, 14^th). Four different Skyhawks scoop up at least 2.00 digs per set – Kearns (2.87), Paulino (2.61), Dylan Mott (2.60) and Scanlon (2.00) – while the trio of Merriweather (1.16 blocks per set), Scanlon (0.94) and Olivia Saunders (0.90) have combined to reject 268 blocks.

Meanwhile, UT Martin's offense was often ignited by Scanlon and Saunders this season. Scanlon's 312 kills were the most by any Skyhawk since 2017 while Saunders ranked second in the OVC with a robust .336 hitting percentage in league play. After missing the first nine matches of the season because of an injury, Wallick provided a boost down the stretch with 2.75 kills per set in the month of November. The 2019 All-OVC performer was an integral part of a relentless UT Martin offense that ranks fourth in NCAA Division I volleyball in attacks (4,298).

Prices for the OVC Championship event are $6 for general admission and free for students with a valid college ID at the gate. Direct links to the ESPN+ broadcasts and live stats are available at the top of the webpage. For more information on the entire OVC tournament, visit the Championship Central webpage at the link above.