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JAIME GORDON INTERVIEWMOREHEAD, Ky. -- The Morehead State volleyball team jumped out to a two-set advantage on Friday evening, but Radford stormed back to win the final three sets and match. The Highlanders improve to 1-1 on the season, while the Eagles slip to 0-1. The match was part of the three-team Eagle Challenge at Wetherby Gym.
Morehead State recorded identical 25-23 victories in the first two sets, but Radford responded with back-to-back 25-19 wins in sets three and four. The Highlanders then built a 12-5 upper hand in the final stanza and never looked back in a 15-9 match-sealing victory.
Radford is the defending Big South Conference champion, while Morehead State has won each of the past four Ohio Valley Conference regular-season crowns.
Junior outside hitter Cheyanne James collected a team-best 14 kills for RU, while senior outside hitter Rachel Wiechecki managed a team-high 13 digs and senior setter Jena Braden posted 38 helpers.
Junior middle blocker Hannah Sigala paced MSU with a match-high 16 kills and seven blocks, while senior middle blocker Laura McDermott added 12 smackdowns and seven rejections. Sophomore defensive specialist Stacy Silver posted a match-best 16 digs for the Eagles, while senior setter Colbey Cameron notched 30 assists.
Morehead State turned in 27 kills and just 12 errors over the first two sets, but tallied just 29 winners and 21 miscues the rest of the way. The Eagles recorded six solo blocks and 22 block assists.
Radford hit .179 in the fourth set and .667 in the final stanza. The Highlanders registered 20 block assists, while also drilling 11 aces. The back-and-forth match featured 38 ties and 17 lead changes.
Radford dropped a 3-1 decision to Atlantic Sun Conference opponent Northern Kentucky earlier in the day.
Morehead State closes out the Eagle Challenge with two more matches on Saturday. MSU entertains NKU at Noon ET before having a re-match with Radford at 5 p.m. Both contests will be webcast live on OVCDigitalNetwork.com, with Volunteer Assistant Coach Marcie West and former Morehead State standout Aryn Bohannon calling all the action.
