Volleyball Begins Conference Play in the Music City

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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- The Morehead State volleyball team opens Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend in the Music City.  The Eagles (0-13, 0-0) face Tennessee State (5-9, 0-0) on Friday at 7 p.m. ET and Belmont (4-9, 0-0) on Saturday at 3 p.m. 

Morehead State won all six sets against Tennessee State in 2013.  It also defeated Belmont twice, once in three sets and once in five.  The Eagles own a 47-8 all-time advantage against the Tigers and have won five of six meetings against the Bruins.


Releases and pre-match information:

MOREHEAD STATE | TENNESSEE STATE | BELMONT | OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE


Ten notes heading into the matches:

THE LAST TIME OUT
Morehead State lost all three of its matches last weekend at the Purdue Active Ankle Challenge.  The Eagles dropped a five-set decision to Notre Dame on Friday before falling in straight sets to the No. 11 Boilermakers that night and Saint Louis the next day.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY
Morehead State, the four-time defending Ohio Valley Conference champion, is off to its first 0-13 start in school history.  The Eagles started their varsity volleyball program in 1972, and the conference began sponsoring the sport in 1981.

ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Senior Laura McDermott has earned two All-Tournament Team accolades this season.  The middle blocker posted 15 kills and five blocks in Morehead State's Comfort Inn and Suites Invitiational.  She then registered 24 winners, nine rejections and hit .340 in Purdue's Active Ankle Challenge.

LEADING THE EAGLES
Junior Hannah Sigala leads Morehead State with 2.99 points, 2.36 kills and 0.76 blocks per set.  The middle blocker is also hitting a team best .256 in 45 sets played.  She collected a team-best 119 blocks and 198 kills in 2013.

WE ARE THE HUNTED AGAIN
Morehead State was selected No. 1 in the annual Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll.  All three of MSU's seniors also landed spots on the 14-player Preseason All-OVC Team, which is voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

LEADING THE WAY
Jaime Gordon is in his 12th year as Morehead State's head coach.  He is 228-144 (.613) at MSU and 308-171 (.643) in 14 years leading a collegiate program.  Gordon has piloted the Eagles to seven regular-season conference titles, two league tournament crowns and both of the school's NCAA Tournament berths.

THE OPENING WEEKEND
Morehead State has not lost in the opening weekend of Ohio Valley Conference play since Sept. 21, 2005.  The Eagles have won 17 consecutive matches during the first weekend of league play.

DOING IT IN THE LEAGUE
Morehead State would tie an Ohio Valley Conference all-time record if it wins the 2014 regular-season crown.  Southeast Missouri is the only school in league history to win five straight.

HEADING TO THE BIG DANCE
Morehead State has participated in two of the past three NCAA Tournaments.  The Eagles traveled to Big Ten Conference opponent Purdue in 2011 and visited Big Ten foe Illinois in 2013.

DOMINATING THE CIRCUIT
Morehead State is 67-3 in Ohio Valley Conference regular-season matches over the last four years.  The 96 percent success rate leads all Division I programs in conference winning percentage.