Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
3-17,1-7MVC
SIU
9-10,3-4MVC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Ill. | 25 | 25 | 25 | 19 | 6 | 2 |
| Murray St. | 27 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
Krzos Earns First Home Win as Racers Comeback to Top SIU in Five
10/16/2026 8:24:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Murray State snapped its eight-game losing streak with a five-set thriller against Southern Illinois on Friday night at Racer Arena, winning 27-25, 10-25, 15-25, 25-19, 15-6.
Despite hitting just .095, the Racers (3-17, 1-7 MVC) found ways to score points and defend their side of the court against a Saluki team (9-10, 3-4 MVC) that has beaten quality opponents in conference play.
Setter Paige Brock capped a dominant fifth set with a setter dump that sent Racer fans into a frenzy and gave the team its first win at Racer Arena in 2026. While Brock provided the finishing touch, Lily Evans led the Navy and Gold with four kills on four swings in the set, and Maezi Snyder served the final six points as five Saluki attack errors helped seal the match.
Murray State started the match the way it ended it, as Brock served the Racers to an 8-0 lead with Snyder adding two kills and two blocks during the run. Southern Illinois clawed back to tie the set at 21 and earned set point at 25-24, but Snyder answered with a kill, a Saluki attack error gave the Racers set point, and Watts put it away off a Samantha Nelson set to take the opener 27-25 behind six kills from Snyder.
The Salukis responded emphatically in the second set, as Ella McFarland served the first 14 points and Murray State was held without a kill while hitting -.360 in a 25-10 loss. Ella Swansiger led the way for SIU with seven kills.
Southern Illinois hit .440 without an attack error in the third, and although the Racers tied it at 11 on back-to-back Evans kills, the Salukis closed on a 14-4 run that included consecutive aces from Beatriz Piaia before a Natalie Vance kill ended it 25-15.
Facing elimination, Murray State broke a 7-7 tie in the fourth with four straight points on Snyder's serve, capped by an ace, and never trailed again as Alexa Watts recorded six kills and Anne Makowski added four without an error. Teodora Cickovic and Watts combined on a block for a 23-17 lead, and Watts closed the set 25-19 with a kill off a Brock set.
The Racers carried that momentum into the decider, as Evans' serve opened a 3-0 lead that included another Cickovic-Watts block, and Murray State hit .714 in the fifth (6 kills, 1 error, 7 attempts) before pulling away from 9-6 with Snyder at the service line.
Watts led Murray State with 13 kills and 15 points, while Snyder added 10 kills, 14.5 points and six blocks (one solo, five assisted). Evans totaled eight kills, Makowski posted seven kills and four blocks, and Brock distributed 31 assists to go with 13 digs, while Nelson led the back row with 15 digs and Mija Pristovnik added 13.
The win was the first at Racer Arena for head coach Tristyn Krzos.
Murray State will return to action Thursday as they travel to Nashville, Tenn. for a rematch with Belmont before heading to Carbondale, Ill. to face SIU.
