EIU Tops Volleyball, 3-1

Saturday, October 13

Racer Arena

12:00 p.m.

Murray State

4-14, 2-6OVC

Eastern Illinois

5-16, 2-6OVC

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Eastern Ill.	25	17	27	25	3
Murray St.	18	25	25	17	1

Photo by: Murray State Sports Information

10/13/2012 3:16:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

The Murray State volleyball team dropped a 3-1 OVC west division decision to Eastern Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Racer Arena.

In the first set, Eastern Illinois jumped out to an early 6-1 lead and despite the small margin; the Racers were never able to recover from the loss of momentum right out of the gate. Late in the frame, Murray State pulled within two at 20-18, but the Panthers closed out the set on a 5-0 run for the 25-18 win. Freshmen Taylor Olden (Lincoln, Ill.) and Emily Schmahl (Edgewood, Ky.) led MSU in the stanza with three kills each.

In the second set, the Racers found the momentum that escaped them in the first. Murray State opened the frame on 12-4 run went on to lead by as many as 10. From there, instinct took over and senior Wendi Zickfield (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) helped close out the set with two big kills to give MSU its final two points of the frame, as well as the 25-17 victory. Zickfield and Schmahl led the Racers in the frame with a team-high three kills.

In the third set, the two teams battled to the very end, with neither team ever gaining a clear advantage. Despite the Panthers having the first set point at 24-23, the Racers battled back to have their own set point at 25-24. However, Eastern Illinois was able to keep the Racers at bay and take a 2-1 match lead with a 27-25 extra point victory. Freshman Alyssa Lelm (Mackinaw, Ill.) led MSU in the set with three kills, while also notching four block assists.

In the fourth set, both teams continued to battle and traded points back and forth, eventually tying the set at 10. However, from there the Panthers went on an 8-2 run and never gave the Racers a chance to recover. Easter Illinois ended the set on a 4-1 run to take the set, 25-17, and match, 3-1.

Olden led Murray State in the match with 11 kills, while freshman Sam Bedard (Breese, Ill.) tallied 33 assists and 12 digs for her second consecutive double-double and fourth of the season. Freshman Jodie Klein (Louisville, Ky.) led the Racer defense on the afternoon with 18 digs, while Lelm notched seven total blocks. Lelm was just three blocks off of her own double-double, as finished the match with 10 kills.

On Friday, the Racers will once again take on Eastern Illinois this time in Charleston. Opening serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.