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MOREHEAD, Ky. – UT Martin entered Saturday’s Ohio Valley Conference volleyball match as the league’s best defensive team, but it was the host Morehead State Eagles who showcased superb defense in sweeping the Skyhawks 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 26-24) at Wetherby Gym.
UTM boasted the conference’s top-ranked blocker and back row defender, but MSU doubled up the visitors in digs and blocks as the Eagles improved to 9-5 and 4-0 in the OVC. The win was the Eagles’ 11th straight against UTM and marked the 21st win in the last 22 league matches for MSU. UTM fell to 7-7 and 2-2 in the OVC with the loss.
MSU sophomore libero Leslie Schellhaas entered the match ranked second in the league in digs, behind UTM libero Kasey Elswick, who also ranks second in the nation in digs. But Schellhaas out-dug her counterpart 29-9, and the Eagles totaled 62 ups to the Skyhawks’ 41. MSU also had eight blocks.
“We’re very excited with this win tonight," said MSU head coach Jaime Gordon. "To start the OVC season with four home matches against four really good teams and to get out of it with four wins is quite an accomplishment.”
MSU junior outside hitter Ellie Roberson, the OVC’s top hitter, rung up 19 kills and hit .375 while also tallying two solo blocks. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Aryn Bohannon completed her team-high eighth double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs. Redshirt senior Emma Keough landed nine winners and hit .353. Junior setter Caitlin Clark also flirted with a double-double, handing out 41 assists while coming up with eight digs.
The Skyhawks got a 10-kill, four-block effort from Ashley Doherty. UTM hit only .137 while the Eagles shook off a .133 attack efficiency in the first set to finish at .237.
While the Eagles finished with the sweep, the match was tight throughout. The Skyhawks kept within striking distance, but MSU was able to pull away in every set. The first set featured five ties and a pair of lead changes, while the rest of the match saw seven other ties.
The Eagles will head on the road next weekend as they’ll face SIU Edwardsville and Eastern Illinois. MSU battles SIUE on Friday at 8 p.m. ET and EIU on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Live stats for both matches will be available through each school’s web site.
