RICHMOND, Ky. – Beginning their last two road matches for the regular season, the Eastern Illinois volleyball team started the road trip on a high note following a four-set victory at Eastern Kentucky (25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 25-23). With the win the Panthers improve to 10-3 in the OVC.

Eastern Kentucky started out the first-set with an early advantage, as they lead by as many as four points. Josie Winner and Abby Saalfrank teamed up on a block to tie the set at 12-12. Maria Brown found a hole in the Eastern Kentucky defense with a kill to put the Panthers ahead, 14-13 as the Panthers began to control the set. EKU would rally late, but an Allie Hueston service ace sealed the first-set victory 25-21 in favor of EIU.

Neither team could pull away from one another to begin the second-set, until three EKU errors put the Panthers in front, 13-10. Back-to-back kills from Hueston and Saalfrank increased the Panther lead to four, but EKU would pull to within two. EIU would again extend their lead to four points, but EKU would find their way back into the set at a 22-22 tie. Eastern Kentucky would score the next three points to take the second-set victory 25-22.

With the third-set tied at 8-8, EIU would score the next three points to take an 11-8 lead highlighted by kills from Chelsea Lee and Hueston. EKU would find a way to take the lead away from the Panthers at 16-15. The EKU lead what short lived however as the Panthers would go on to score the next three points.  The quick string of points gave the Panthers the boost they needed as they would find themselves with another three point rally to finish off the third-set at 25-21.

EIU started out the fourth-set earning three out of the first four points with the help of a kill from Hueston and Brown. Taylor Smith would extend the Panther lead to six points at 18-12 with a block. EKU would cut the Panther lead to a single point late in the set, but an Eastern Kentucky error gave the EIU the fourth-set victory 25-23.

"(It was a) good solid win for our team tonight out on the road. Our left pins did a nice job offensively for us tonight, especially attacking the out of system ball. Our block really started to pull through in some big moments giving us some big points. Our serving game helped as well throughout the match. (It was) great to pick up our 10th OVC match, especially in these last two weeks of conference play" said Coach Wolinski after tonight's win.

Lee led the Panther attacking game with 15 kills, while Brown added 12, and Hueston 10. Stephanie Wallace led the Panthers on the defensive end of the court with 11 digs.    

EIU will look to improve their OVC record with another road contest tomorrow at Morehead State with the match set to begin at 4:00 p.m.