SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL ENDURES A PAIR OF HEARTBREAKING 3-2 SETBACKS ON DAY 1 OF SALUKI BASH

Friday, September 3

Carbondale, Ill.

10 a.m.

UT Martin

0-4,0-0OVC

Oral Roberts

4-0,0-0Summit League

UT Martin

Oral Roberts

SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL ENDURES A PAIR OF HEARTBREAKING 3-2 SETBACKS ON DAY 1 OF SALUKI BASH

9/3/2021 10:21:00 PM | Volleyball

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CARBONDALE, Ill. – The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball squad gave a valiant effort today at the Saluki Bash but ultimately fell in a pair of five-set decisions against Oral Roberts (25-23, 23-25, 16-25, 25-15, 4-15) and Southern Illinois (27-25, 12-25, 25-23, 28-30, 7-15) at the Banterra Center.

Karen Scanlon tallied team-highs in kills (23), hitting percentage (.268) and blocks (11) today for the Skyhawks while Kambree Lucas boasted a team-best 2.60 kills-per-set average – all coming in the second match of the day. Haeleigh Paulino (double-double of 25 assists, 10 digs against Oral Roberts) and Addy Vaughn (near triple-double of 21 assists, nine digs, eight kills against Southern Illinois) each had standout individual performances at setter.

Baillie Kearns continued her fine play to start the 2021 campaign as the freshman libero out of St. Louis, Mo. scooped a team-high 33 digs on the day, leading UT Martin in that category during both matches. She also contributed a team-best five service aces today.

The Skyhawks have a quick turnaround as they conclude the Saluki Bash tomorrow with an 11 a.m. matchup against Alabama A&M.

Gallery: (9-3-2021) Volleyball vs. Oral Roberts

Oral Roberts
UT Martin pushed the undefeated Golden Eagles to the limit this morning but Oral Roberts nabbed a five-set win in the tournament opener.

Scanlon helped the Skyhawks overcome an early 4-0 deficit with back-to-back kills before her third kill of the set provided UT Martin with its first advantage (11-10) of the day. An assisted block by Scanlon and Zoe Merriweather extended the Skyhawk lead out to 22-16 and a Francela Ulate service ace gave UT Martin set point at 24-17. The Golden Eagles dialed up six unanswered points but Addison Conley gave the Skyhawks the first set victory with a clutch kill. Scanlon was responsible for four of UT Martin's 10 kills in the opening set as the Skyhawks sided out at 62 percent (15-of-24).

Merriweather and Paulino posted early kills to guide UT Martin to a 4-2 lead. Scanlon and Ulate sandwiched a 3-0 run with kills that pushed the Skyhawk advantage out to 9-6. Oral Roberts began to build momentum before Scanlon registered three kills in the span of five UT Martin points. The Skyhawks faced set point at 24-19 but responded with a 4-0 run that featured kills from Conley and Olivia Saunders. However, the Golden Eagles tied the match at 1-all following a kill to make the score 25-23. Scanlon hit .429 with team-highs of four kills, three digs and two blocks for UT Martin, who hit .250 (13 kills against six errors in 28 swings) in a set that had 10 ties and three lead changes.

Oral Roberts (5-0) started the third stanza on a 5-1 run. Ulate and Conley both collected kills during the early stages of the set before Saunders caught fire. The 6-2 middle blocker from Ontario, Canada amassed three kills in the span of seven Skyhawk points, igniting a 6-2 surge that pulled UT Martin within six points (21-15). The Golden Eagles recovered to end the set with four of the final five points. Saunders (three kills) and Kearns (four digs) topped the Skyhawks in the third set.

The Skyhawks roared back to claim the fourth set behind a sound performance on both ends (.222 attack percentage to go along with 22 digs). After Oral Roberts scored the first three points of the stanza, a service ace from Ulate capped off a 4-0 run to hand UT Martin a 9-7 advantage. The score was soon knotted at 11-all but the Skyhawks put the set out of reach courtesy of a 10-0 run. Vaughn slammed down back-to-back kills during the spurt before Audrey Haworth clinched the set with a kill and block assist (alongside Saunders). Kearns scooped up six digs while Paulino handed out seven assists in the fourth set.

The fifth and final set was not friendly to UT Martin as the Golden Eagles began on a 7-0 run. Scanlon and Conley willed the Skyhawks within five points after back-to-back kills. Conley chipped in another kill soon thereafter but UT Martin's deficit was too large to overcome.

Southern Illinois
The Skyhawks came so close to nabbing their first victory of the season but the host Salukis managed to win the final two sets in the nightcap.

UT Martin shook off a slow start in the first set, erasing a 14-9 deficit en route to the win. Lucas started the comeback with three straight kills for the Skyhawks midway through the stanza as UT Martin crept back within striking distance. Ulate managed back-to-back kills that resulted in the Skyhawks' first lead of the match at 23-22. UT Martin faced set point but a huge kill from Saunders put the Skyhawks in prime position to take the set. Kearns (service ace), Haworth (kill) and Vaughn/Scanlon (assisted block) iced the set with clutch plays down the stretch. Lucas provided a team-best five kills on a .444 hitting percentage while Vaughn almost recorded a double-double (10 assists, seven digs) in the opening set alone.

After UT Martin nabbed an early lead in the second set, Southern Illinois (3-2) used a 13-4 run to help even the match at 1-all. The freshman duo of Vaughn and Lucas combined for three consecutive kills late as the Skyhawks got as close as eight points but the Salukis wrapped up the set on a 5-0 run. Scanlon came away with three of the team's eight kills in the stanza.

In the third set, UT Martin stormed back from a 22-18 deficit after a 7-1 run to end the stanza. Kearns delivered a service ace to make the score 10-5 in favor of the Skyhawks before UT Martin took a 17-14 lead following a block assist from Saunders and Ulate. Southern Illinois then tacked on five unanswered points and eventually led by as many as four at the aforementioned score of 22-18. Scanlon had a hand in three of the final five points (block assist, solo block, kill) before Lucas powered through for the set-clinching kill. Lucas was responsible for four kills while Scanlon had a remarkable five blocks in the third stanza.

The fourth set had 12 tie scores and seven lead changes as the Skyhawks had four chances at match point but the Salukis staved off elimination. Scanlon had a pair of kills during UT Martin's 5-2 lead before two straight kills out of Saunders padded the Skyhawk lead out to four. Southern Illinois went on a 4-0 run to take a brief advantage but kills on back-to-back possessions by Lucas and Saunders tilted the score to 24-23 in favor of UT Martin. A back-and-forth affair ensued and after Ulate and Scanlon joined forces for a block assist to make the score 28-27, the Salukis scored three straight points to force a fifth set. Scanlon had six kills with zero errors in 11 swings while Kearns accumulated seven digs in the fourth set.

Playing its 10^th set in 11 hours, the Skyhawks ran out of gas in the decisive fifth stanza. Southern Illinois claimed a 3-0 lead before a Paulino kill temporarily halted the Saluki momentum. A Southern Illinois service error pulled UT Martin within two points (5-3) but that was ultimately as close as the Skyhawks would get the rest of the way.