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MURRAY, Ky. – Avenging last year's season-ending loss to the same Colonel squad, sixth-seeded Eastern Illinois volleyball opened Thursday (Nov. 20) morning Ohio Valley Conference Tournament action with a thrilling five-set upset of #3-Eastern Kentucky (25-22, 21-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-8).

The Panthers (15-15) now advance to tomorrow's 4:30 p.m. semifinal contest versus #2-Belmont, who outlasted #7-Austin Peay in a four-set contest.

Junior Abby Saalfrank paced all players with a 24 kill, 18-dig double-double, marking the 14th duo-duo performance of the season for the All-OVC honoree, and 15th in her career.  She also led EIU with a .308 attack and fired off four aces, also team highs.

"Everything just really came together today," said Saalfrank.  "Our blocking got off to a slow start but we eventually started to click, and our communication between the back and front courts was really great.  We will definitely take this energy into tomorrow's match."

Classmate Chelsea Lee chipped in 12 kills of her own off a .267 attack, while OVC All-Newcomer Team honoree Allie Hueston added 11 put-downs as the freshman also tied junior Kayla Nesbitt with four blocks.

Nesbitt and redshirt-freshman Josie Winner each tallied eight kills to add to the Panther offensive numbers as both Eastern squads finished with 68 kills in the morning contest held in a very chilly Racer Arena on the campus of regular-season champ Murray State.

Junior Marah Bradbury, who earned her second consecutive All-OVC honor at last evening's awards banquet, dished out 54 assists and led EIU to a .255 attack, coming one dig shy of her 33rd career duo-duo performance.

In back court defensive numbers, junior libero Stephanie Wallace upped 22 EKU attacks , as senior defensive and serving specialist Kelsey Brooke and Dakota Springer added respective 15 and 13 dig numbers as well.

Team-wise, besides leading the Colonels (21-14) in overall attack, EIU also held advantage in assists, and doubled the EKU block tally (eight-to-four).  Both squads also had even dig totals at 87, while the Colonels held slight lead in aces (seven-to-six).

EKU was led by Alexis Plagens, as the senior finished her EKU career with a 24 kill, 14 dig duo-duo performance, while junor Rachel Vick added 14 kills.  OVC 'Defensive Player of the Year' Dena Ott also ended her Colonel playing days with 32 digs.

With the win, the Panthers now lead EKU, 19-18, in the all-time DI series history, as EIU turned the tables on the Colonels this season, first sweeping EKU in the regular-season before eliminating the #3-squad in the OVC tourney in a five-set affair.  Which ironically was the exact same scenario last year but in favor of EKU over EIU.

EIU got off to quick lead in opening set, but the Colonels countered to take a lead, eventually up 19-14 at one point in the frame.  That's when EIU would go on a nice 11-3 run to stun the higher seed, 25-22.  EIU won despite trailing in the attack .195-to-.205.

Panthers held a quick lead again in the second set, but EKU would turn it around to take a 15-9.  With the Colonels up 19-12, EIU would use their own run to pull to within 20-18 of EKU, but the higher seed squad would hold on for the 25-21 win to even the match at one-all.  EKU again out-hit the Panthers, .256-to-.184, but EIU held 3-0 advantage in blocks.

Both squads played a back and forth affair in the third frame, but EKU would bust out of a 13-all tie to lead 17-13.  EIU would pushed back to within 16-17 off consecutive hard-hit kills by Chelsea Lee.  The #3-EKU squad then erupted for a 22-17 lead, but following an EIU break, the Panthers kept it close to trail just 23-21 as Nesbitt tooled the EKU block, forcing the Colonel to call a timeout.  Yet EKU would hold on the for 25-22 victory to hold the 2-1 match advantage thanks to a .361-to-.275 attack lead.

EIU jumped out to a convincing 12-8 lead in the fourth frame, but EKU would slowly pull even and eventually enjoy an 18-14 advantage.  But the Panthers used their own run to retake the lead, 20-19, off a softly hit Josie Winner kill and timely service ace by Kelsey Brooke.  Two straight kills by Saalfrank helped EIU lead 22-20, but the Colonels followed suit to tie it at 22-all.  Tied again at 23-all, a key Panther block in the middle gave EIU the set-point as Lee pounded down a shot for the 25-23 win and push the match to the fifth frame.

After an early EKU lead, the Panthers jumped ahead 5-2, off consecutive Colonels miscues in the final set, requiring a quick EKU timeout.  An eventual put-down by Winner would give EIU the 8-5 as the teams changes sides of the court, as the Panther momentum continued with a key block and EKU error for the 11-6 lead.  After the Colonels pulled to within 11-8 of EIU, the Panthers took the set and the win off another big block and putdown. 

Tomorrow the Panthers and Bruins of Belmont will meet for only the fifth time, since the squad from Nashville joined the OVC back in 2012.  Belmont has won all previous four contests, including gutting out a five-set win in Charleston back in early October.  EIU and BEL met once previously in the OVC tournament, as the Bruins downed Eastern in four sets in 2012.
 
... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID