Murray State
Eastern Illinois
Racers avenge loss with 3-0 thumping of homestanding Eastern Illinois
10/24/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Its school-record win streak snapped on Tuesday, the Murray State women's volleyball team got right back to work, avenging its first Ohio Valley Conference regular-season loss since last October with a definitive 3-0 win at Eastern Illinois tonight, 30-19, 30-17, 30-21.
The win was Murray State's 14th in its last 15 OVC regular-season matches and its seventh OVC shutout of the season in 10 conference matches.
Most notable was the turnaround of freshman outside hitter Lilli Zhan, who had only eight kills in 25 attacks with an attack percentage of .080 at Southeast Missouri State on Tuesday, but led all hitters tonight with 18 kills -- one short of her season-high -- with a team-high attack percentage of .419.
Zhan added 10 digs for her fifth double-double of the season.
Sophomore outside hitter Paige Sun added 16 kills and a match-high 19 digs for her 17th double-double in 20 matches. She also had four blocks for the Racers (15-5, 9-1 OVC).
Sophomore setter Nikki Wong was just one kill short of her second triple-double of the season, with nine kills, a match-high 41 assists and 10 digs.
Junior outside hitter Kimberly Bunnage served up a match-high three aces and added 14 digs to the MSU defense, while junior defensive specialist Casandra Ersel repelled 11 digs.
Freshman middle blocker Katie Kemezys had seven kills for an attack percentage of .357 to go with a match-high six blocks, her season-high.
Eastern Illinois (6-18, 3-6 OVC) was paced by Erica Gerth, who had a team-high 10 kills and two aces. Mary Welch added nine kills with no errors in 21 attacks, while Shanna Ruxer had a team-high five blocks. Heather Redenbo led the Panther defense with 16 digs, while Chandra Hensley added 10, and Nikki Fowler handed out a team-high 22 assists.
Murray State outhit EIU .277 to .075, with 56 kills to the Panthers' 30. The Racers repelled 71 digs on defense, while Eastern Illinois had 49.
Murray State has the week off, returning to action on Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. at Tennessee Tech. The Racers will then visit Austin Peay on Nov. 1 for a 5 p.m. match, then will close out this five-match road swing on Nov. 4 with a 7 p.m. match at Tennessee-Martin.
