Eastern Illinois 5-13 (2-8 OVC) vs. Morehead State 8-17 (4-6 OVC)
April 23rd | 10:00 AM | Martin, Tennessee | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Eastern Illinois heads to Martin, Tennessee, for the 2026 OVC Beach Volleyball Tournament. The Panthers finished with a 5-13 (2-8 OVC) record, which placed them 5th in the OVC standings. Chattanooga went a perfect 10-0 in conference play, earning the number one seed for the third straight year.
Last Time Out
The Panthers went 1-3 last weekend at the second OVC weekend with a win over Tennessee Tech. EIU lost to Chattanooga, Morehead State, and UT Martin.
In match one, the Panthers were unable to secure a dual win, losing 5-0 to Chattanooga.
The Panthers battled the Eagles closely in the second match of the day but fell short, losing to Morehead State 3-2. Tori Mohesky and Alanys Nieves won their match, followed by Ariadna Pereles and Emma Schroeder earning a dual win.
On day two, Eastern Illinois split their matches with a 1-1 record on Saturday. They beat Tennessee Tech for the third time this season before falling to UT Martin to conclude the weekend.
Panthers Making History
EIU has achieved multiple records this season, starting with the most wins in a single season with five on the year. The previous record was three wins achieved in 2024.
Head Coach Ryan Millar now holds the top spot in program history for career wins, with six victories.
Tori Mohesky and Alanys Nieves earned the second-ever Pair of the Week award in program history. The pair earned the recognition on April 15th after going a perfect 4-0 at the Austin Peay Tournament. Their efforts marked the best weekend record from a pair in school history.
Panthers in the OVC Tournament
Eastern Illinois is the 5th seed for the second time in EIU history. The last three years, EIU has finished 6th place with zero conference wins in two out of the three seasons. In 2025, the Panthers went 1-2 in the OVC tournament with a win over Morehead State in the first round. The upset victory was the first ever win for Eastern Illinois in the conference tournament. However, EIU's run ended short with losses to UT Martin and Tennessee Tech to conclude their season. Prior to 2025, the Panthers were 0-6 in the OVC tournament.
All-Time Series vs. Morehead State
The Eagles lead the all-time series 13-1, with EIU winning the matchup last year in the OVC tournament. Morehead State is 2-0 against the Panthers this season, with both wins coming from the two OVC Weekends.
OVC Season Long Notes
OVC Preseason Poll
1. Chattanooga (10) – 50
2. UT Martin (2) – 37
3. Morehead State – 36
4. Lindenwood – 28
5. Tennessee Tech – 17
6. Eastern Illinois - 12
Eastern Illinois' OVC Player to Watch
Sylvia Hasz was named a 2026 OVC beach player to watch. Hasz was a prominent player for the Panthers last beach volleyball season and is coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance during the indoor season against Wisconsin. In the fall, the senior appeared in 11 matches, playing 21 sets. She produced a total of 75 assists (3.57 APS).
