Mueller Achieves Career-High In Kills But Skyhawks Narrowly Fall At SIUE

Saturday, September 26

Edwardsville, Ill.

3 p.m.

UT Martin

6-7,1-1OVC

SIUE

3-11,1-1OVC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
UT Martin	25	25	23	23	10	2
SIUE	17	18	25	25	15	3

Stats PDF

Mueller Achieves Career-High In Kills But Skyhawks Narrowly Fall At SIUE

9/26/2026 6:58:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Stats PDF

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Sophomore Carly Mueller headed the University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball squad's offensive attack this afternoon but the Skyhawks were barely outlasted in five sets (25-17, 25-18, 23-25, 23-25, 10-15) at SIUE.

Mueller was responsible for a career-best 16 kills with just five errors in 33 swings, hitting .333 for the match. The Hendersonville, Tenn. native also had a hand in three of UT Martin's 12 blocks on the day.

Freshman Rylee Key came away with her second consecutive strong performance, tallying 11 kills on a .259 attack percentage with career-highs of three service aces and seven blocks. Dylan Sulcer added 39 assists while Lauren Mariscal and Penny Kirkham helped guide the Skyhawk defense with 18 and 10 digs, respectively.

UT Martin (6-7, 1-1 Ohio Valley Conference) never trailed in the opening set, jumping out to a 7-3 advantage after a block assist from Key and Maddy Gladson. Another block assist from Sulcer and Mueller later put the finishing touches on a 7-0 Skyhawk run as Gladson tallied each of the Skyhawks' final two kills in the stanza. Mueller (four kills with zero errors in five attacks) and Gladson (four kills, two service aces) led UT Martin in the first set.

Back-to-back blocks from Gladson ignited an early 8-1 Skyhawk run in the second set. Moments later, a Sophie Diouf kill gave UT Martin its biggest lead of the set (20-12) before Key and Chyler Martin tacked on kills on the way to the Skyhawks claiming a 2-0 lead in the match. Key registered four kills, a .273 hitting percentage and three blocks in the second stanza alone.

A total of nine tie scores and six lead changes took place in the third set. The Cougars scored the first four points of the set but UT Martin responded by taking its first lead at 9-8. SIUE reclaimed the advantage and took a 19-15 lead but the Skyhawks stormed back with five unanswered points on the way to a 23-22 advantage. However, the Cougars extended the match by scoring three consecutive points. Mariscal's four digs led UT Martin in the middle set.

The Skyhawks once again held a 23-22 lead in the fourth set but SIUE forced a decisive fifth set. Key landed three service aces during a 6-0 UT Martin run and soon thereafter, two straight Martin kills gave the Skyhawks a 19-15 advantage. However, the Cougars posted 10 of the final 14 points of the set. Mueller tallied six kills with no errors in eight swings (.750 attack percentage) to lead UT Martin in the fourth stanza.

Riley Rushing came out swinging in the fifth set, downing back-to-back kills as the Skyhawks took a 3-0 lead. Another Rushing kill gave UT Martin a 5-2 lead but SIUE answered with seven of the next eight points. A Mueller kill pulled the Skyhawks back within two points (12-10) but the Cougars scored the final three points of the match. Rushing managed four of UT Martin's seven kills in the abbreviated fifth set.

The Skyhawks open a four-match homestand next weekend, hosting OVC rival Morehead State on Oct. 2 (6 p.m.) and Oct. 3 (2 p.m.).