Friday, October 9
Martin, Tenn.
6 p.m.
UT Martin
vs
Eastern Illinois
Photo by: UT Martin University Relations
Skyhawks Host Defending OVC Champion Eastern Illinois This Weekend
10/8/2026 9:32:00 AM | Volleyball
MARTIN, Tenn. – A four-match Ohio Valley Conference homestand wraps up for the University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team this weekend as the Skyhawks take on Eastern Illinois. Start times for the series are set for 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9 and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10 as both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
UT Martin (6-9, 1-3 OVC) has won five of its last seven decisions against the Panthers inside Skyhawk Fieldhouse although this weekend is the first time that these two squads have met in Martin since the 2023 campaign.
Last weekend against Morehead State, UT Martin's defense stood out with 2.38 blocks and 14.00 digs per set. The Skyhawks, who lead the OVC with 112 total blocks (2.04 per set), were led defensively by Rylee Key's 10 blocks (2.25 per set) and Lauren Mariscal's 23 digs (2.88 per set) while Maddy Gladson (team-best 23 kills on a .353 hitting percentage) and Sophie Diouf (21 kills, 18 digs, five blocks) also played big roles for UT Martin in a pair of tight 3-1 setbacks.
In league play, Diouf (37 kills, 2.47 per set), Key (36, 2.25 per set), Gladson (34, 2.13 per set) and Carly Mueller (33, 2.06 per set) have combined for 71 percent of the Skyhawk kills on a .208 attack percentage. Those four have been complemented nicely by Dylan Sulcer (third in the OVC with 7.94 assists per set) and Abby Freund (third in the league with 0.56 service aces per set).
Overall, Key ranks second in the OVC in blocks (0.97 per set) while Mariscal's 3.39 digs per set average is the fifth-best mark in the league. Mueller additionally ranks eighth in the OVC in both hitting percentage (.276) and blocks per set (0.82).
Eastern Illinois (2-13, 1-3 OVC) fell in a pair of sweeps at OVC co-leader Lindenwood last weekend as Katie Kopshever (team-best 13 kills with 17 digs) and Ariadna Pereles (25 digs, 4.17 per set) led the way. Pereles tops the OVC with 4.02 digs per set and has increased that number up to 4.47 digs per set against league competition. Kopshever (2.93 kills and 3.47 digs per set) has also elevated her game in OVC play while the middle blocker duo of Emma Hanson (2.00 kills per set on a .490 hitting percentage) and Alana Guibert (team-best 1.00 block per set) have been major Panther contributors against league foes.
Links for ESPN+ and live stats for both matches of this series can be found above.
UT Martin (6-9, 1-3 OVC) has won five of its last seven decisions against the Panthers inside Skyhawk Fieldhouse although this weekend is the first time that these two squads have met in Martin since the 2023 campaign.
Last weekend against Morehead State, UT Martin's defense stood out with 2.38 blocks and 14.00 digs per set. The Skyhawks, who lead the OVC with 112 total blocks (2.04 per set), were led defensively by Rylee Key's 10 blocks (2.25 per set) and Lauren Mariscal's 23 digs (2.88 per set) while Maddy Gladson (team-best 23 kills on a .353 hitting percentage) and Sophie Diouf (21 kills, 18 digs, five blocks) also played big roles for UT Martin in a pair of tight 3-1 setbacks.
In league play, Diouf (37 kills, 2.47 per set), Key (36, 2.25 per set), Gladson (34, 2.13 per set) and Carly Mueller (33, 2.06 per set) have combined for 71 percent of the Skyhawk kills on a .208 attack percentage. Those four have been complemented nicely by Dylan Sulcer (third in the OVC with 7.94 assists per set) and Abby Freund (third in the league with 0.56 service aces per set).
Overall, Key ranks second in the OVC in blocks (0.97 per set) while Mariscal's 3.39 digs per set average is the fifth-best mark in the league. Mueller additionally ranks eighth in the OVC in both hitting percentage (.276) and blocks per set (0.82).
Eastern Illinois (2-13, 1-3 OVC) fell in a pair of sweeps at OVC co-leader Lindenwood last weekend as Katie Kopshever (team-best 13 kills with 17 digs) and Ariadna Pereles (25 digs, 4.17 per set) led the way. Pereles tops the OVC with 4.02 digs per set and has increased that number up to 4.47 digs per set against league competition. Kopshever (2.93 kills and 3.47 digs per set) has also elevated her game in OVC play while the middle blocker duo of Emma Hanson (2.00 kills per set on a .490 hitting percentage) and Alana Guibert (team-best 1.00 block per set) have been major Panther contributors against league foes.
Links for ESPN+ and live stats for both matches of this series can be found above.
Players Mentioned
MB
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L/DS
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OPP
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MB
/ Volleyball
L/DS
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MB
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S/DS
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