UT Martin Rallies For Split Of Senior Day Double Dual Against Chattanooga

Wednesday, April 9

Martin, Tenn.

2 p.m.

UT Martin

Chattanooga

UT Martin Rallies For Split Of Senior Day Double Dual Against Chattanooga

4/9/2025 8:17:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

Stats PDF (Match 1)Stats PDF (Match 2)Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin beach volleyball program sent its six seniors out with a victory in their final match at the Skyhawk Beach Volleyball Complex, knocking off in-state foe Chattanooga by a 3-2 margin. That result came after UT Martin battled but fell 4-1 to the Mocs in the double dual opener.

All six seniors were in action today as the Sydney Eckhardt, Zara McCauley, Dylan Mott, Olivia O'Keefe, Ryan Rednour and Jenna Vallée each occupied one of the six spots in the lineup on Senior Day.

The Skyhawks' No. 2 tandem of Kayla Bryant/O'Keefe went 2-0 on the day to improve to 17-5 on the season. UT Martin (14-8, 3-3 Ohio Valley Conference) also received victories in the final matchup by Riley Rushing/Dylan Sulcer at No. 1 and Lauren Mariscal/Jenna Vallée at No. 3 as the latter duo provided the clinching point.

In the first match of the day, Chattanooga (15-5, 6-0 OVC) was able to claim a pair of three-set decisions in the first wave to gain early momentum. The Skyhawks won the first set in each of the first two matchups but unfortunately Eckhardt/Reagan McGee (4-21, 21-15, 15-11 at No. 5) and Mott/Rednour (20-22, 21-17, 16-14 at No. 4) were barely edged out. Bryant/O'Keefe got UT Martin on the scoreboard with a 21-16, 21-19 triumph but the Mocs won the final two pairings in tight battles. Mariscal/Vallée fell 21-16, 21-15 at No. 3 while Rushing/Sulcer dropped a 21-18, 24-22 decision at No. 1.

The Skyhawks exacted their revenge in the second match of the day, which featured two more decisions that went to third-set tiebreakers. Chattanooga once again took a 2-0 edge after the first wave of matchups as Mott/Rednour battled but fell 22-20, 21-17 at No. 5 and Eckhardt/McGee were outlasted by a 21-18, 13-21, 15-7 margin at No. 4. UT Martin then wrapped up the match with three consecutive victories, beginning with a 21-18, 21-10 triumph that was authored by Bryant/O'Keefe. After Rushing/Sulcer evened the team score at 2-all with an impressive 21-10, 26-24 win (their 11^th of the season), it all came down to the third set of the No. 3 pairing. Mariscal/Vallée pulled through for a 21-17, 15-21, 15-13 Skyhawk triumph to improve that duo to 3-1 on the season.

UT Martin heads to its final nonconference tournament of the regular season this weekend, traveling to Conway, Ark. for the UCA Beach Invitational. The Skyhawks will compete against the likes of Mary Hardin-Baylor (8 a.m.) and Hendrix (2 p.m.) on Friday, April 11 before taking on tournament host Central Arkansas (8 a.m.) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (1 p.m.) on Saturday, April 12.