Beasley A Wall At The Net, Murray State Splits Series With Eastern Illinois

Monday, March 15

Murray, Ky.

4 p.m.

Murray State

5-7,5-7OVC

Eastern Illinois

2-10,2-10OVC

Eastern Ill.

Murray St.

Photo by: David Eaton-Murray State Athletics

Beasley A Wall At The Net, Murray State Splits Series With Eastern Illinois

3/15/2021 7:18:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

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Murray State Volleyball losses in four sets 25-16, 23-25, 19-25, 23-25 to Eastern Illinois at Racer Arena on Mar. 15.

The Murray State volleyball team (5-7) fell to the Eastern Illinois Panthers (2-10) in four sets on Monday in Murray, Kentucky, falling to 5-7 in conference play.

The Panthers picked up only their second win of the 2020-21 season improving to 2-10.

The Racers started fast, winning the first set in no time but lost their groove as the sets played on.

Kolby McClelland and Darci Metzger topped the Racers with 12 kills apiece, McClelland just missing out on her second double-double of the season with nine digs.

Taylor Beasley was a wall at the net, with a season-high ten total blocks, four solo blocks and six block assists.

Becca Fernandez dug up 21 balls throughout the four sets and Callie Anderton tallied 41 assists.

The Racers were hot off the start, winning 10 of the first 11 points in set one. Eastern Illinois made an attempt to come back, scoring four in a row to make it a 11-6 game but the Racers said no and went on a 5-0 run started by a kill from Metzger and a service ace from Dahlia Miller. They cruised to the finish line, winning 25-16, finishing on back-to-back kills from Metzger and Matson.

Set two was a different affair as neither team was able to build a lead of more than four throughout the set. The Racers used a 5-1 rally to go from being down 13-14 to being up 17-15. Jayla Holcombe, Emily Matson, Metzger and McClelland all contributed kills to the run. Murray State was up one at 22-21 but the Panthers closed out the set scoring four of the last five points to win 25-23.

The Panthers jumped ahead early in the third set leading 12-8. The Racers fought back but were never able to close the gap to less than two points. McClelland had four kills in the sets while Metzger and Matson each added three as the Racers dropped set three, 25-19 and EIU took a 2-1 advantage in the match.

The fourth set all tied up at 12 when the Racers rattled off four straight using two kills from Metzger, one from Matson and a ball handling error by EIU. The Panthers fought back, desperate for their second conference win, to go on an 8-1 and pull in front of Murray State. The Racers evened the score at 22's and then 23's but service and attack error sealed the match for the Panthers, 25-23.

The Racers stay home next weekend hosting Tennessee Tech on Mar. 21 and 22 at Racer Arena. Game times are set for 6 p.m on Sunday (Mar. 21) and 4 p.m. on Monday (Mar. 22).