Box Score
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CHARLESTON, Ill. – Despite having four players register double-digit kills, Eastern Illinois volleyball dropped a tough four-set Ohio Valley Conference match to visiting foe Murray State (18-25, 26-24, 25-23, 25-23) on Friday (Oct. 10) evening, as the match was played in front of a raucous Lantz Arena crowd.

The loss drops Eastern to 7-11 overall and 1-4 in early-season league action, as the Racers improve to 13-4 on the year and 4-1 in OVC play.

Junior Chelsea Lee paced EIU with 18 kills and added four blocks, while newcomer Maria Brown followed with a career-high 14 put-downs of her own.

Fellow junior Abby Saalfrank added 12 kills and registered 10 digs to notch her 11th all-time double-double performance, as freshman Allie Hueston chipped in 11 kills off a .409 attack and six blocks, both team bests.

Junior setter Marah Bradbury dished out 56 assists for the second consecutive match as EIU hit .268 in the contest, including a high of .381 in the second frame.

In other defense numbers, junior libero Stephanie Wallace led all players on the court with 19 digs, while senior defensive and serving specialist Dakota Springer tied her career-high ace mark with three unreturnable serves.

Team-wise, the Panthers held the OVC's top kill squad to 57 kills, while EIU finished with 67 put-downs.  EIU also held the advantage in assists (67-to-54), digs (55-to-53), blocks (10.5-to-ten), and points (81.5-to-71).  Both squads finished with four total aces, while the Racers just barely out-hit the Panthers, .290-to-.268.  The match featured 27 ties and 11 lead changes.

The Racers were led by sophomore Scottie Ingram's 20 kill and 12 dig duo-duo, and 462 attack.  FEllow sophomore Kristen Besselsen and junior Taylor Olden added 18 and 13 put-downs, respectively.  Junior Alyssa Lelm led the net defense with six blocks while sophomore libero Ellie Lorenz upped 15 EIU attacks.

Eastern got out strong in the first set as the Panthers cruised to a relatively easy 25-18 win as EIU hit .216 and limited the top league hitters to a low .074.  The visiting squad when then counter with three consecutive tight sets using late runs to win set two and three by 26-24 and 25-23 scores.  

In the final frame, the Racers appeared to have the game in hand as Murray led 23-17, but the momentum quickly changed to the Panthers as EIU went on a run to slowly cut into the lead, forching a Racer timeout up just 23-20.  A Racer attack error moved EIU to within 23-21 before Murray State used a touch kill off the block to earn match point at 24-21.

But a Murray State service and attack error gave EIU hope yet again as the score sat at 24-23, but a final kill by the visitors would seal the win, snapping a four-match win streak enjoyed by the Panthers in the all-time series.  Eastern also continues to hold a sizeable 23-18 advantage in the previous meetings.

EIU's current four-match home stand is set to conclude tomorrow afternoon, as the Panthers will entertain OVC rival Austin Peay at 2 p.m. in Lantz Arena.  The Lady Govs fell in five at SIU Edwardsville this evening to drop to 10-11 overall and 4-1 in conference action.

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