Eastern Illinois (2-8, 1-5 OVC) at Austin Peay Tournament 

April 10-11 | Clarksville, TN | Atkins Family Beach Volleyball Facility 

Match 1: vs. Tennessee Tech | Friday at 10:00 AM 

Match 2: vs. Austin Peay | Friday at 4:00 PM  

Match 3: vs. Southwest Baptist | Saturday at 10:00 AM  

Match 4: vs. Missouri State | Saturday at 12:00 PM  

Eastern Illinois will head to Clarksville, Tennessee, for the Austin Peay Tournament, where they will compete in four matches throughout the weekend. Panthers dropped their senior day home opener against Lindenwood 4-1.  

Last Time Out 
EIU fell short in their lone home match of the season against Lindenwood University. The Panthers dropped the match 4-1. Ariadna Pereles & Alanys Nieves were the one pair that collected a win in the match. Pair number one, Lilli Amettis and Sylvia Hasz, fell in their match 2-0.  Laura Paniagua and Giorgia Cappelletti pushed the Lions to three sets but fell short in the final one, losing their match 2-1. Katie Kopshever and Anaya Rawlinson struggled in their outing, losing 2-0. The senior duo, Tori Mohesky and Emma Schroeder, lost in a close 2-0 result.   

Ariadna Pereles & Alanys Nieves 
Pereles and Nieves have been a bright spot for the Panthers, winning back-to-back matches against Tennessee Tech and Lindenwood. The pair also won their match in the OVC Weekend #1 opener against Morehead State. Pereles and Nieves have won each of their matches 2-0.  

Expected Pairs 
Ariadna Pereles & Alanys Nieves  

Lilli Amettis and Sylvia Hasz 

Laura Paniagua and Giorgia Cappelletti 

Katie Kopshever and Anaya Rawlinson 

Tori Mohesky and Emma Schroeder  

Scouting Report 
Tennessee Tech: The Golden Eagles are currently 3-20 and 0-6 in OVC play. EIU beat Tennessee Tech at the first OVC weekend 5-0. The Golden Eagles are coached by Isabella Borgiotti, who is in her second season at the helm. The all-time series favors Tennessee Tech with an 8-1 record against EIU.  

Austin Peay: Austin Peay holds an 11-16 overall record with matches against familiar OVC members. The Governors have beaten Morehead State and Tennessee Tech twice. However, Austin Peay has dropped both matches against Chattanooga. The Governors are coached by Michael Hobson, who is in his third season in charge. The all-time series favors Austin Peay 4-0, with the Governors winning the last meeting 5-0 in 2022.  

Southwest Baptist: The Bearcats are 4-14 overall this season with wins against Oklahoma Wesleyan, Ottawa twice, and Concordia University in Texas. Southwest Baptist is coached by Paityn Walker, who is in her first season at the helm. Coach Walker played four years of Division I beach volleyball at Eastern Kentucky. The Bearcats lead the all-time series 1-0 with a win 3-2 win in 2024.  

Missouri State: The Bears faced little trouble this season with a 17-2 (3-0 CUSA) record. Missouri State started the season 14-0 with a win over EIU at the Missouri State Tournament in February. The Bears are coached by Ashley Emery, who is in her fourth season at the helm. Missouri State leads the all-time series 2-0 with a win this season and a win in 2024.  

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).    

The results will be available after the conclusion of each match.