Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
6-7 (0-1OVC)
UT Martin
7-7 (1-0OVC)
Racers Drop OVC Opener in Five Sets to UT Martin
9/21/2018 10:17:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
On opening night of Ohio Valley Conference play, the Murray State volleyball team went to a fifth set for the first time this season, but ultimately fell to the UT Martin at Skyhawk Fieldhouse in Martin, Tennessee.
The Racers fall to 6-7 overall and 0-1 in the OVC as the Skyhawks improve to 7-7 and 1-0 in conference play.
Junior Rachel Giustino led the team with 17 kills while adding 13 digs. Senior Dacia Brown and freshman Emily Matson also reached double-digit kills with 12 and 11, respectively. Sophomore Ashley McBee dished out 30 assists while classmate Callie Anderton had 17 assists herself.
On defense, sophomore Becca Fernandez had 24 digs and redshirt-freshman Kolby McClelland had six blocks. As a team, the Racers had a season-high 13 blocks.
The Skyhawks used an early 8-0 run to take a 10-3 lead in the first set and never looked back, as the Racers were only able to get as close as four as Martin took the set, 25-18.
Murray State improved its defense in the second set as they held Martin to a -.059 hitting percentage. Giustino and sophomore Katirah Johnson each had two blocks in the set and McClelland and Matson each tacked on one of their own.
The second set was played tight until the Racers were able to go on a 7-1 run to take a 19-12 lead. The Skyhawks went on a 5-0 run to get back to within four at 22-18, but Murray State took three of the next five points and won the set on a Giustino kill, 25-20.
In the third set, UT Martin jumped out to a 13-7 lead thanks to a 5-0 run. They expanded their lead to 20-10 later in the set with a 6-0 run and eventually took the set, 25-14.
MSU tried to pull away early in the fourth set as they jumped out to a 12-7 lead, but the Skyhawks answered with a 6-1 run to tie the set at 13. Martin took a 19-17 lead later in the set, but a 4-0 run by the Racers gave them a 21-19 lead. The Skyhawks responded and tied the set a 24, but a kill by Giustino and a ball-handling error by Martin gave Murray State the set, 26-24, to force a fifth set, the first for the Racers this season.
UT Martin held a 7-5 lead in the fifth set, but a service error, block by McClelland and McBee, and an ace by Giustino gave the Racers an 8-7 lead as they switched sides. However, the Skyhawks ended the set on an 8-3 run to take the fifth set, 15-11, and the match.
Murray State is back in action tomorrow as they travel to Cape Girardeau to take on Southeast Missouri at 2 p.m.
