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Charleston, Ill. – Eastern Illinois volleyball played host to Tennessee Tech in an OVC conference matchup Friday night. The Panthers beat the Golden Eagles winning in three sets (25-20, 25-9, and 25-22).
The Panthers came out strong to open up the match against the Golden Eagles winning the first set 25-20.
Taylor Smith,
Maria Brown, and
Allie Hueston all led the Panthers in kills for the first set each totaling four kills. The first set featured a bunch of Panther runs that would secure the victory for EIU. EIU didn't allow Tennessee Tech to grab the lead from them once in the first set.
The second set was all about EIU. The Panthers dominated the second set not allowing the Golden Eagle to tie the score once in the set and winning 25-9. The Panthers scored their largest run late in the set when they jumped on a 6-0 run ignited by a Brown kill. Leading the offensive charge for the Panthers was Smith who tallied five kills in the set. The Panthers would collect their best hitting average of the night in the second set totaling an average of .385.
Tennessee Tech would challenge the Panthers in the closest set of the evening tying EIU for a total 13 times and claiming six lead changes. EIU was able to spoil a Tennessee Tech comeback and take the match closing out the third set 25-22.
Laurel Bailey and Hueston helped close out the match collecting a set-high six kills each.
Smith claimed her twelfth double-double of the season collecting ten kills with no hitting errors, a team-high 36 assists, and eight digs. Hueston led the Panthers offense in kills collecting 14. Defensively leading the Panthers was
Anne Hughes who picked up 19 digs.
The Panthers return to action Saturday night where they hill host Jacksonville State in an OVC conference showdown at 7 p.m.
