Boxscore: PDF | HTM
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – After snapping a season-long nine-match losing streak last week at SIUE, the Eastern Illinois volleyball squad came up on the losing side once again, dropping a three-set match at Austin Peay on Friday evening (25-18, 25-14, 25-15).
With the loss, the Panthers have now lost ten consecutive Ohio Valley Conference contests and fall to 8-17 overall and 1-11 in league action.
No individual Panther earned double-digit kill numbers in the loss with junior Alex Zwettler and sophomore Melanie Boykins leading with six and five kills, respectively. As a team, EIU was held to their second-lowest kill total of the season, with only 28 put-aways off a .124 hitting mark.
In comparison, APSU's Stephanie Champine and Ilyanna Hernandez combined for 23 total, just five away from the Panthers' total kill number. Champine and Hernandez nailed 12 and 11 kills, respectively, as Austin Peay (16-6/9-2) held on to their second place standing in the OVC with the win. The Lady Govs also picked up the season sweep of Eastern, winning both regular-season matchups in straight sets.
Defensively, EIU libero Brittany Wallace picked 13 digs, as the sophomore registered double-digit ups for the 15th consecutive match this season. APSU, meanwhile, had two players with 10+ digs as libero Paige Economos and Champine upped 14 and 13 digs, respectively. EIU's Boykins registered two block assists to lead all Panthers at the net, while Kirstin Distler connected on five roofs to lead the home squad.
Team-wise, the Panthers were not only out-hit by Peay, but also trailed in assists (47 to 27), digs (59 to 42), aces (seven to two), and total blocks (nine to two).
The Panthers will play their final road match of the season tomorrow afternoon, heading to Nashville to take on Tennessee State at 2 pm. TSU previously downed Eastern in four sets in Charleston in late September.
Then starting next weekend, Eastern will finally get a chance to enjoy an end-of-season six-match homestand over the next three weekends.
… for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID
