Boxscore (PDF)

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Down two-sets to none to visiting SIU Edwardsville, Eastern Illinois volleyball turned the match around with consecutive set wins as the Panthers earned a thrilling five-set Ohio Valley Conference win on Tuesday evening.
 
The Panthers improved to 3-10 on the year and 1-2 in early-season league play with the 14-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-18, 15-12 win.

Four different Panthers recorded double-digit kills, led by sophomore Reynae Hutchinson and freshman Katie Kirby with 14 apiece. Kirby also added 14 digs to nab her third double-double of the season. Hutchinson and Kirby also finished with respective .323 and .258 attacks.

Juniors Emily Franklin and Alison Berens chipped in 11 and 10 kills, respectively, as Berens also hit over .200 at .238 on the night. Sophomore Amy Martin, with nine kills, led all Panthers with a .444 attack percentage, as she registered just one hitting miscue.

Freshman Jill Johnson earned her second start at setter in her early Panther career and made the most of her opportunity as her 54 assists set a new single-match high this season. She also earned five kills off a .308 attack and recorded three blocks.

In other defensive numbers, Berens led all EIU blockers with six stuffs, while Franklin followed with four. Senior libero Brittany Wallace led all players with 18 digs, while defensive specialist Kat Gosewisch added 12 digs.

Team-wise, the Panthers led the Cougars in several stat categories, including hitting (.256 to .209), total attacks (156 to 153), kills (64 to 57), assists (62 to 55), and digs (63 to 61).

SIUE (6-8/1-2), meanwhile, won the service game with seven aces, while EIU had zero and endured 10 service errors. The Cougars also edged the Panthers in total blocks (ten to nine) and total team points (74.0 to 73.0).

SIUE had three players with double-digit kills, as Julia Whitfield earned a double-double off 13 kills and 11 digs. Setter Sammi Minton also notched a duo-duo performance with 43 assists and 13 digs.

Jessica Hemann and Cori Harris followed with 11 and 10 kills, while Harris and Brooke Smith each fired off two aces. Defensively, Kelsey Augustine had seven blocks, while four different players finished with double-digit digs.

In just the fourth meeting between the two instate rivals, tonight's matchup had significant importance as the Cougars officially opened up OVC action as the newest member of the league this season. With the Panther win, the series is now tied at two-all, while the five-set affair was the first time that a match between EIU and SIUE has gone the distance.

The match featured eight tie scores and just three lead changes as SIUE jumped ahead of the Panthers in convincing fashion to take the first two frames, 25-14, and 25-18. That included registering a match-high .583 attack in the opening set.

However, the Panthers countered in set three with a 25-22 win off a .355 attack as the Panther service forced the Cougars off-system. The fourth frame also went EIU's way as the Panthers enjoyed a 10-4 run over SIUE, after leading just 15-14 at one point.

The deciding set saw SIUE take the early lead, but the Panthers ran off four straight points to force a Cougar timeout. With Eastern leading 11-7, SIUE would counter to pull to within 12-11 after an EIU error and Cougar service ace. After a Panther timeout, EIU would earn the win off three SIUE miscues and an Eastern kill, which would help the home squad earn their first five-set victory of the season. EIU had previously dropping two earlier five-set matches this season.

The Panthers will now hit the road for two league matches, traveling to Clarksville, Tenn. on Friday to face the defending OVC Tournament Champion Austin Peay squad, prior to battling Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon. First serves are scheduled for 7 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

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