Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
12-10 (2-6OVC)
Eastern Illinois
11-10 (5-3OVC)
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murray State | 23 | 21 | 25 | 22 | 1 |
| Eastern Illinois | 25 | 25 | 15 | 25 | 3 |
Eastern Illinois Too Much for Racers
10/19/2013 7:45:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Murray State volleyball dropped another tough match Saturday night at Eastern Illinois, 3-1 (23-25, 21-25, 25-15, 22-25). In their three set losses, the Racers lost by a combined nine points. The loss ties their season-worst three game losing streak and drops the Racers to 12-10 overall, 2-6 in the OVC.
Taylor Olden and Sam Bedard contributed a double-double for the Racers. For Olden, it was her third in a row and fourth in her past five matches. She also recorded a team-high tying four blocks. Bedard registered 13 digs and a team-high 42 assists. She also chipped in with six kills and three blocks.
Emily Schmahl led the Racers with a match-high 15 kills and has 44 in her four matches since returning to the lineup.
The match started with neither team able to take a lead larger than three points. After trailing for most of the set, the Racers claimed their first lead, 18-17 since the 5-4 mark. That lead was short lived, as the Panthers scored the next three points, two on kills from Amy Martin, to take a 20-18 lead. After Coach Schwepker called a timeout, MSU tied the set back up at 20-20. The teams traded points until 23-23, when the Panthers were able to put the Racers away with a kill from Stephanie Arnold and a Racer attack error to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
EIU jumped on the Racers early in the second set, taking a quick 7-3 lead. The Panthers never trailed in the set on their way to a 25-21 win and 2-0 lead in the match. The Racers fought back hard, tying the score at 11-11 and getting to within one at 16-15, but were never able to overtake the EIU lead. The Panthers thwarted the Racers final comeback attempt scoring three of the final four points, getting two kills from Arnold and one from Marah Bradbury.
With their backs against the wall, the Racers came out strong in set No. 3. The two squads were deadlocked at 7-apiece before MSU made their run. The Racers outscored the Panthers 12-3 during one stretch, including scoring seven in a row to bring their lead to 19-10. Murray State was able to cruise from there, taking their first set in the match, 25-15.
Murray State again started out hot in the fourth set, jumping out to a five-point lead, 10-5. But the Panthers were able to
withstand that initial rush and eventually tie the game at 16-all. EIU kept the pressure on and took their first lead of the set, 18-17. MSU rallied though to score the next three points and reclaim a two-point lead, 20-18. A kill from Martin and Chelsea Lee and a pair of Racer attack errors gave the Panthers the lead back that they did not give up, going on to close out the match with a 25-22 win.
Lee and Reynae Hutchinson led the Panthers with 14 kills each. Hutchinson completed the double-double recording 17 digs.
The defensive battle saw each team record 73 digs, led by Wallace of EIU with 21. There was also a combined 26.5 blocks, with Murray State collecting a season-best, 11.
The Racers will turn around and face this same Panther team next Friday, Oct. 25 at Racer Arena. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
