Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Eastern Illinois volleyball team traveled to Tennessee State for an Ohio Valley Conference match on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers fell to the Tigers in straight-sets (8-25, 23-25, 13-25). The Panthers drop to 5-22 (2-10 OVC) on the season, while Tennessee State improves to 14-14 (5-7 OVC). The Panthers will return to Lantz Arena for the final time in the 2016 season as they host UT Martin and Southeast Missouri next weekend.
Eastern Illinois picked up the first two points in the first set on a Tennessee State error followed by a kill by
Taylor Smith. Tennessee State knotted the score at 2-2 and quickly overtook the lead at 3-2 on a block by Payten Clark and Taylor Patterson. Tennessee State kept control of the set the rest of the way and took a 1-0 advantage over the Panthers.
Tennessee State jumped out to a 7-2 lead to begin the second set. The Panthers worked their way back into the set and cut the deficit to two points at 7-5 on an ace by
Gina Furlin. Eastern Illinois attempted one final comeback towards the end of the set as they went on a 4-0 run to pull within three points at 24-21 on back-to-back errors by TSU. The Tigers scored on the next play and went up 2-0.
The Panthers kept the score close at the beginning of the third set as a kill by
Katie Sommer tied the set at 3-3. Tennessee State regained their rhythm and began to pull away from the Panthers. Eastern Illinois attempted another late comeback as they scored three-straight points capped off by a
Maria Brown ace, but Tennessee State put the set away and took the match 3-0.
Brown led the Panthers with a team-high eight kills in the match.
Lindsey Powers led the EIU defense as she recorded 13 digs.Â
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