Box Score (PDF)

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois volleyball dropped a three-set road Ohio Valley Conference match at league-newcomer SIU Edwardsville by scores of 25-22, 25-15, 25-22, on Tuesday evening.

The loss moves the Panthers to 8-17 overall and 5-9 in conference action.  SIUE improved to 10-16/5-9.

Sophomore Reynae Hutchinson led all players on the floor with an 11-kill and dig double-double performance.  That ups her season duo-duo mark to 10 and her career number to 13 all-time.

Junior Emily Franklin added 10 kills of her own, as the Panthers hit just .087 for the match, as compared to a .258 attack by the host team.

Senior setter Chrissie Albers also earned a duo-duo with her 29 assists and 12 ups, as she earned her 18th such performance in a Panther uniform.

Defensively, sophomore Stephanie Arnold led with two block, while senior libero had nine digs.

SIUE was led by Brianne Graunke's 10 kills and six blocks from Jessica Hemann.

Hitting miscues set the Panthers back to open the match, as EIU trailed early at 6-4.  Yet a kill by Katie Kirby and an ace by Reynae Hutchinson would give Eastern their first lead at 12-10 midway through the set.  SIUE would burn a timeout as EIU extend the lead to 14-10.  The host squad would counter with a 5-0 run before a huge kill by Emily Franklin knotted it at 15.  After classic side-out play, coach Price would use her own timeout as EIU trailed 19-17, but a Hutchinson put-down would end the SIUE run up 20-18.  The home team maintained a two-point lead requiring another EIU break down 23-21.  SIUE would take the first set at 25-22 off a joist at the net and Panther ball-handling error.  Eastern fell in part due to a low .059 attack, as compared to a .310 clip for SIUE, with most of the Cougar kills coming via off-speed or soft shots over the block.

SIUE's hot play continued to start the second frame, leading 8-3 lead off consecutive kills and a timely block.  Following a Panther timeout, EIU continued to struggle with hitting errors before a shot down the middle by Alison Berens ended the Cougar run at 10-5.  Eastern would use their final timeout as SIUE led comfortably at 17-10.  The OVC-newcomers would continue to lead and eventually take the early 2-0 match advantage off  the 25-15 win.  Once again, EIU hit a low .067, while SIUE nailed a hot .321 in the set.

Following the match break, EIU would come out on fire, leading early at 5-2 thanks to nice kills from Berens and Franklin, as well as a nice blocks all along the net.  SIUE would use a timeout as Eastern suddenly led 10-5 thanks to a Franklin ace and other Cougar miscues.  Off the break, EIU would continue to pour it on as the Panther confidence build off a 13-5 advantage.  But SIUE would counter with their own run to pull to within 16-12 of the Panthers, but a crushing kill from Franklin would end the mini-run.  However EIU would be forced to use a timeout following a Panther hitting error as SIUE moved to within 17-14 on the scoreboard.  Eastern would again fire off a timeout as the hosts pulled to within one at 19-18.  Tied at 20-all, the Cougars would rattle off four straight but nicely placed kills by Hutchinson and Stephanie Albers held SIUE at match-point at 24-22, requiring an SIUE break.  However, the Cougars would earn the sweep off a kill at 25-22.

With the win, SIUE now leads the Panthers in the all-time series, 3-2, following Eastern's early-season home win this season.

Eastern will prepare for a road OVC weekend, traveling to Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky this coming Friday and Saturday, respectively.

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