Box Score (PDF)

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Four different players nailed double-digit kills as Eastern Illinois volleyball picked up a thrilling five-set Ohio Valley Conference road win (25-18, 22-25, 12-25, 25-20, 15-10) at Jacksonville State on Friday evening.

The win helped to snap a five-match losing streak as the Panthers improved to 5-15 overall and 3-7 in league play.  The win also not only marked the first time that EIU has won at JSU, but also ended a 12-match drought versus the Gamecocks over the last few seasons.

Junior Emily Franklin led all players with 19 kills, while classmate Alison Berens nailed 15 put-aways to set a new career high in the process.  Berens also led all players with a .483 attack clip as she had just one hitting miscue.

Sophomore Reynae Hutchinson collected 13 kills and 16 digs to notch her sixth duo-duo of the season and ninth in her Panther career.  Stephanie Arnold added 11 kills of her own which also set a new career high for the sophomore.

Setter Chrissie Albers led the Panther offense with 52 assists and added 17 digs, which tied junior Kat Gosewisch defensively.  The assist-dig double-double by Albers is the fourth such performance of the year and 16th all-time by the senior.

Gosewisch led all players on the court with five service aces which was also a career best.

In other defensive stats, Arnold's four blocks led all Panthers, while Albers, Berens and Franklin each added three stuffs of their own.

JSU (6-15/4-7) was led by Liza Senenkova's 18 kills and seven blocks, while Stephanie Koontz chipped in 13 kills of her own.  Abbey Heredia led all players with 22 digs.

Team-wise, the Panthers led the host team in total kills (62 to 55), assists (59 to 53), aces (seven to four), and points (77.5 to 72.5).  JSU, meanwhile won the hitting battle (.207 to .181) and blocking game (13.5 to 8.5), as both squads tied with 75 digs apiece.

The match featured 12 ties and just four lead changes as EIU led from start to finish in set one as they hit a mathc-high .394.  Meanwhile JSU countered with their own big win in the third set after a second frame that had seven ties and two ties which went to JSU

As the Gamecocks held a 2-1 lead in the match, EIU earned the 25-10 fourth set win to force the deciding fifth set.  The Panthers would hit .259 to just zero for JSU in the final frame en route to the win.

The Panthers continue the OVC road swing with a 2 p.m. match at Tennessee Tech on Saturday afternoon, prior to returning to Charleston to host instate rival Illinois-Chicago in a mid-week non-conference contest at 6 p.m. this coming Monday (Oct. 17) evening.

... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID