MARTIN, Tenn. – After dropping a tough five set match last night at SEMO, the EIU volleyball team grinded out another five set match, this time coming out on top against UT Martin (25-17, 31-29, 23-25, 22-25, 15-12) and improve to 9-3 in the OVC.  

It took a few quick scores from the Skyhawks in the first set before the Panthers would find their rhythm.  After UT Martin gained an early 4-0 lead, EIU would erase the deficit to tie the set at 5-5 with the help of a Taylor Smith ace. A Skyhawk error would put the Panthers ahead by one on the next point, and EIU would hold the lead for the rest of the first game as a Chelsea Lee kill finished the set at 25-17 for EIU.

Once again EIU would find themselves at an early disadvantage to begin the second set, as UT Martin would take the first three points in the set. The Panthers would work their way back into the set and tie the game up at 7-7 behind a Stephanie Wallace service ace, and again at 8-8 following a kill from Abby Saalfrank. UT Martin would then take advantage of a pair of kills from Lael Ceriana and two Panther errors to take a 12-8 lead before an EIU timeout. Back-to-back kills from Josie Winner and two Skyhawk errors put EIU ahead, 19-18. With the set knotted up at 22-22, the Panthers and Skyhawks would even the score six different times before Lee would provide another kill to give Eastern Illinois a 31-29 second set victory.   

The Panthers would take the early lead to begin the third set. The Skyhawks would manage their way back into the set to tie the score at 10-10. Anne Hughes put EIU ahead, 21-17, as EIU appeared as if they would complete the clean sweep with ease. UT Martin played spoiler to a Panther sweep, as they would go on an 8-2 run to steal the third set 25-23 over the Panthers.

The Panthers and Skyhawks would trade leads throughout the beginning of the fourth set until an Allie Hueston kill tied the set at 13-13. EIU would manage to stay within a few points nearing the end of the set, but the Skyhawks were able to force a fifth set following a 25-22 fourth set decision.

A Maria Brown kill combined with a pair of UT Martin errors put the Panthers in front 4-1 to begin the fifth set. EIU would bend but not break as the Skyhawks cut the Panther lead to a single point. Lee would give the Panthers a comfortable 13-8 lead with a kill. Smith would finish off the match for Eastern Illinois with a kill, giving them a 15-12 victory in the fifth set.

Six Panthers – Lee (15), Abby Saalfrank (12), Winner (11), Hueston (11), Smith (10), and Brown (10) – all finished with double-digit kill marks. Wallace again led the defensive efforts posting a 20 dig game. Smith added 28 assists and 16 digs to go along with her 10 kills to earn her seventh triple-double of the season, and second in consecutive games.

"Another gutsy performance for our team today battling through some adversity again, but this time we ended up on the winning side. Six hitters (finished) in double-digit kills was huge for us pulling out this win, in addition to our back row doing a good job of controlling the passing and digging game for us throughout this match. We also had four players with double-digit digs. A total team effort to prevail in this match" said Coach Wolinski following the win at UT Martin.

EIU will play their final road contests of the regular season next weekend (Nov. 6-7) at Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State, before finishing up their regular season at home against SIU Edwardsville (Nov. 11) and Tennessee State (Nov. 14)