SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL DROPS A PAIR OF DECISIONS ON ACTIVE FIRST DAY AT THE STACHEVILLE CHALLENGE

Friday, September 16

Clarksville, Tenn.

10 a.m.

UT Martin

6-5

ETSU

5-5

ETSU

UT Martin

Photo by: Robert Smith, APSU Athletics

SKYHAWK VOLLEYBALL DROPS A PAIR OF DECISIONS ON ACTIVE FIRST DAY AT THE STACHEVILLE CHALLENGE

9/16/2022 6:22:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 PDF Boxscore (ETSU)PDF Boxscore (North Dakota State)

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team took part in the Stacheville Challenge today, falling by 3-0 margins to ETSU (19-25, 18-25, 13-25) this morning before an afternoon setback to North Dakota State (19-25, 11-25, 21-25).

A total of 15 different Skyhawks saw playing time today as Kambree Lucas' 14 kills (2.33 per set) led UT Martin offensively. Haeleigh Paulino led the Skyhawks in assists (22), digs (16) and service aces (three) while Mia Saenz and Angel Baylark each posted a team-best four blocks.

UT Martin wraps up nonconference play tomorrow when it takes on tournament host Austin Peay at 1:30 p.m.

ETSU
Paulino recorded her third double-double of the season (11 assists, 10 digs) but the Skyhawks could not find a rhythm in the day's first match.

Lucas opened the match with three kills in UT Martin's first five points but a 9-1 Buccaneer run resulted in a 15-7 deficit. The Skyhawk offense displayed their versatility as six different players (Logan Wallick, Karen Scanlon, Saenz, Lucas, Addy Vaughn, Baylark) teamed up for kills during an 11-6 surge, shaving their deficit to just three points at 21-18. However, ETSU recovered to score four of the final five points of the set to go ahead by a 1-0 margin. Lucas powered through for five kills on a .333 hitting percentage while Paulino had six digs in the opening stanza.

The UT Martin duo of Wallick and Paulino each delivered early kills in the second set before Scanlon and Baylark joined in for kills to keep the Skyhawks within striking distance at 11-8. The Buccaneers scored six of the next eight points but UT Martin responded with a 4-0 run which included rally killers from Lucas and Vaughn. Moments later, a block assist from Baylark and Wallick again kept the Skyhawks within three points (20-17) but ETSU reeled off five of the last six points in the set, claiming a 2-0 lead in the process. Dylan Mott (five) and Kayla Carrell (four) combined for nine of UT Martin's 13 digs in the set.

The Skyhawks could not contain the Buccaneer offense in the third stanza as ETSU hit .517 with one error in the final set. Paulino started the third set with back-to-back service aces before Scanlon came through for two straight kills to knot the score at 5-all. The Buccaneers scored the next six points as part of a 13-2 run. UT Martin managed kills from five different players (Vaughn, Saenz, Audrey Haworth, Scanlon, Baylark) the rest of the way but it wasn't enough to force a fourth set. Scanlon had three kills on a .400 hitting percentage in the final ser for the Skyhawks.

North Dakota State
Lucas narrowly missed out on her first career double-double – snagging team-highs of eight kills and nine digs – but the Bison turned out to be too much for UT Martin.

The Skyhawks hit .212 during the first set but could not overcome an early deficit. Following a Paulino service ace that started the match, North Dakota State scored five unanswered points and eventually took a 12-4 advantage despite a pair of kills from Vaughn. Lucas struck for a pair of kills before a Saenz service ace gave UT Martin a bit of momentum. The Skyhawks went on an 8-2 run late – highlighted by two kills apiece out of Baylark and Lucas – but the Bison took the first set. Lucas had four kills in the opening set while Baylark collected three kills in four swings.

UT Martin's first two points of the second set came via Saenz kills before solo blocks from both Olivia O'Keefe and Baylark kept things tight early. The Skyhawks' third solo block of the set – this time by Scanlon – trimmed UT Martin's deficit to 8-7 but North Dakota State accounted for 17 of the final 21 points, including a crucial 7-0 run that essentially put the score out of reach for the Skyhawks, who hit -.067 (five kills against seven errors) during the set.

UT Martin showed some fight in the third set, which alone featured 14 tie scores and nine changes. Kills from four separate Skyhawks (O'Keefe, Lucas, Saenz and Haworth) plus a service ace from Saenz provided UT Martin with an early advantage. The Bison briefly took a lead but not before kills from Baylark and Haworth put the finishing touches on a 4-1 run and gave the Skyhawks a 17-15 edge. Unfortunately, North Dakota State ended the match on a 10-4 run, including the last three points after a Saenz kill made it a one-point match at 22-21. Lucas topped UT Martin in both kills (three) and digs (six) in the third stanza.