CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – After dropping a three set match the night before at Murray State, the EIU volleyball team bounced back and took care of business at Austin Peay, winning in four sets (26-24, 16-25, 25-16, 25-20) as they improve their record in the OVC to 4-2.
In a game of runs, both Austin Peay and EIU traded leads throughout the first set. ASPU took an early 8-4 lead over the Panthers before an EIU timeout. The timeout seemed to do justice, as an
Abby Knight kill put the Panthers ahead momentarily 11-10. Austin Peay would go on another brief run and take a five point lead 18-13 before another EIU timeout. The timeout worked once again, as
Allie Hueston put the Panthers ahead 25-24 with a kill. Austin Peay tired to use a timeout in their favor, but
Marah Bradbury used a service ace to clinch the first set for the Panthers 26-24.
The second set swayed back and forth until Austin Peay led 11-10. The Lady Govs would not look back from there as they would not give up the lead the rest of the set.
Josie Winner and
Kayla Nesbitt brought the Panthers to within four on two separate occasions with kills of their own, but Austin Peay would take the second set 25-16 over EIU.
After
Taylor Smith knotted the score at 12-12 with a kill, the Panther would begin to take control of the third set. With Smith serving, Eastern Illinois would go on to score seven straight points. ASPU called a timeout to try to break the Panther rhythm, but were unsuccessful as a
Chelsea Lee kill followed by an Austin Peay error would seal up the third set 25-16 in favor of EIU.
The two teams battled point for point in the early goings of the fourth set. A
Kayla Nesbitt kill gave the Panthers a momentum starter, as EIU would begin to pull away from there. A pair of Hueston kills would finish off Austin Peay in the fourth set and give the Panthers a 25-20 decision, and would finish the match by a score of 3-1.
Lee (14), Hueston (11), and Winner (10) all finished with double-digit marks in kills for Eastern Illinois.
Stephanie Wallace paced the Panther defense as she totaled 22 digs, while
Anne Hughes chipped in 11 of her own.
Coach Wolinski was happy with the effort from the Panthers today against Austin Peay stating, "(I am) proud of the way the team fought back today for the win after last night's loss at Murray. Wallace anchored our defense as we out dug them by 15. We had balance on the offense today with our middles getting it done in transition. In addition, our side out game was solid in the last two sets."
The Panthers will prepare this week for a weekend showdown back at home in Lantz Arena, as they welcome UT-Martin (Oct. 16) and Southeast Missouri (Oct. 17).
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