Skyhawks Advance To OVC Championship Final Day Following Two Sweeps

Friday, April 24

Martin, Tenn.

12:45 p.m.

UT Martin

Eastern Illinois

Skyhawks Advance To OVC Championship Final Day Following Two Sweeps

4/24/2026 8:44:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

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MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin beach volleyball squad is one of three teams remaining in the 2026 Ohio Valley Conference Championship as the Skyhawks qualified for the final day of the tournament after 3-0 sweeps over Eastern Illinois and Morehead State.

UT Martin (17-8) will play on the final day of the OVC Championship tournament for the sixth time in the six-year history of the event, taking on No. 2 seed Lindenwood in an elimination match at 9 a.m. tomorrow at the Skyhawk Beach Volleyball Complex. The winner will take on No. 1 seed Chattanooga at 12 p.m. for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

The day featured perfect 2-0 performances from UT Martin's No. 4 pairing (Andie Kryak/Amara Traiger) and No. 5 duo (Abby Freund/Kristin Phillips). The Skyhawks also added a win at No. 3 from Luli Arcucci/Lauren Mariscal against the Panthers while Kayla Bryant/Riley Rushing collected a victory at No. 1 against the Eagles. UT Martin's No. 2 tandem of Reagan McGee/Dylan Sulcer led in both of their matchups today but did not finish after the Skyhawks won via decision in each contest.

Against Eastern Illinois, Freund/Phillips got UT Martin on the scoreboard with a 21-15, 21-12 victory before Kryak/Traiger followed up with a 22-20, 24-22 triumph. Arcucci/Mariscal delivered the clinching point via a 21-18, 21-17 win – their 12^th victory of the spring – before Bryant/Rushing (trailing by a slim 12-10 margin) and McGee/Sulcer (holding a 14-7 advantage) could even finish the first set of their respective bouts.

Kryak/Traiger came away with a 21-16, 21-13 win to open the Morehead State match, improving to a team-best 16-5 in the process. Freund/Phillips then pieced together a gutsy three-set triumph (21-17, 18-21, 16-14) to run their season record to 6-2 and complete the first wave. Bryant/Rushing claimed their sixth victory of the season with a 22-20, 21-16 decision while Arcucci/Mariscal (up 21-18, 18-16) and McGee/Sulcer (up 25-23, 15-14) were in line for potential wins as well.

Gallery: (4-24-2026) Beach VB vs. EIU/MOR (OVC Tourney Day 2)