Box Score

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois volleyball opened Ohio Valley Conference play on Friday with a tough four-set loss to visiting Southeast Missouri (19-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-21), in front of a large and raucous crowd of 905 in Lantz Arena.

Freshman right-side attacker/setter Abby Saalfrank led the EIU attack behind her third triple-double of the season as she nabbed 16 kills, 25 assists and 16 digs, while hitting .500 for the match.

Classmate Kayla Nesbitt nabbed her first career double-digit kill performance with the addition of 11 put-a-ways and a nice .429 attack with just two miscues.  Fellow freshman Chelsea Lee also saw significant play, as she nailed eight kills of her own.

Seniors Alison Berens and Emily Franklin chipped in nine kills apiece, as Franklin upped 12 SEMO attacks and Berens led all Eastern players with the addition of four aces and three blocks.

Freshman setter Marah Bradbury nabbed her second career assist/dig duo-duo behind 22 assists and 10 digs.  Junior Reynae Hutchinson added 11 digs and rejected a pair of SEMO attacks at the net.

In other defense numbers, sophomore libero Kelsey Brooke set a new career mark with 23 digs from the back row.

Tonight, the EIU campus was also the site of the high school football clash between Charleston and Mattoon, but a lengthly lightning delay meant many folks found their way to Lantz Arena to cheer on the Panthers.  Also included were a large group of fellow Panther student-athletes from a variety of other EIU squads.

The Panthers actually led SEMO in many stat categories, including kills (61-to-53), assists (59-to-49), digs (84-to-80), points (72.0-to-66.0), and a huge lead in aces (seven-to-two).  However, seven service errors also burned EIU, while a tough blocking game by the Redhawks helped them earn the 11-to-four roof advantage, while also out-hitting Eastern, .246 to .197 overall.

Southeast Missouri (9-6/1-0 OVC) was led by senior Brittney Kalinoski's 18 kills and 24 digs double-double, while both freshman Taylor Masterson and junior Colleen Yarber added 13 kills, with Masterson adding her own duo-duo with 16 digs.  Defensively, junior libero Berkley Idel led with 23 digs and junior Emily Coon finished with six blocks, including a pair of solo stops.

Playing for the 41st time during the Division I era, SEMO now enjoys a 27-14 lead in the all-time series.

The first match started slow for both squads as neither squad could find a rhythm, but after 13 ties and six lead changes, the Panthers were able to take advantage of an 8-3 run to pick-up the tough 25-19 win in front of the loud crowd.  EIU hit .325 in that set as compared to just .075 for SEMO.

The second set was all SEMO as the visitors jumped out for the quick lead en route to the 25-16 victory.

The third and fourth frames featured 12 ties and five lead changes, as the Redhawks hit .286 to just .070 for the Panthers to enjoy the 2-1 match lead via the 25-21 third set win, while the final set had EIU holding close with a 20-all tie, but two kills and a couple of miscues helped SEMO escape the hostile crowd with the crucial league opening win, 25-21

EIU continues home OVC action tomorrow afternoon, as the Panthers hosts UT Martin at 1 p.m.  The Skyhawks fell in straight sets at SIU Edwardsville this evening and will come to town at 4-10 overall and 0-1 in the OVC.

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