Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
19-10,12-4OVC
UT Martin
13-19,9-7OVC
Racers Sweep UT Martin to Advance to OVC Semifinals
11/21/2019 2:12:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
The Murray State volleyball team opened up the OVC Tournament in dominating fashion, Thursday morning sweeping UT Martin Skyhawks in the quarterfinals at Pete Mathews Coliseum in Jacksonville, Alabama.
Rachel Giustino led the Racers with 19 kills giving her 584 kills this season, setting a new Murray State single-season record. Rachel Holthaus added 13 kills while hitting .353 while Ashley McBee led the team with 35 assists. Giustino also led the Racers with 19 digs followed by Becca Fernandez with 15, who also tallied four service aces.
The first set went back and forth early on until a 9-3 run by the Racers gave them a 20-17 lead. The Skyhawks cut the Racer lead to one but a kill and service ace by Giustino pushed the lead back to three. After trading points, Holthaus clinched the set with a kill to win 25-22.
With the second set tied at 10, the Racers went on their biggest run of the day, winning the next seven points to take a 17-10 lead, which proved to be enough cushion as Murray State went on to win the set, 25-20.
In the third set, the Racers went on a 9-1 run to take control early with a 12-6 lead. MSU extended their lead to as much as nine before finally clinching the set, 25-19.
The Racers will return to the court tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 p.m. where they will take on the Redhawks of Southeast Missouri in the semifinals.
