BOX SCORE
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Looking to snap a six-game losing streak to SIUE, Morehead State volleyball did just that Saturday afternoon, outlasting SIUE in a five-set affair. The Eagles (17-6, 8-2 OVC) defeated the Cougars (11-11, 7-3) by scores of 25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-27, and 15-10.
Morehead State applied pressure to its opponent in all facets of the game, recording 89 digs, 67 kills, 62 assists, nine service aces, and seven total blocks. The Eagles recorded double-digit per set averages in digs (17.8), kills (13.4), and assists (12.4) on the afternoon.
The Eagles backline once again shined, averaging 17.8 digs per set, racking up 89 total digs in the match. Four individuals—freshman setter
Bridget Bessler, redshirt senior defensive specialist
Danielle McCarson, sophomore defensive specialist
Olivia Montelisciani, and sophomore libero
Allison Whitten—each recorded 10 of more digs. Whitten captained the back row, scooping up 21 balls for the second consecutive match while Montelisciani added 12, McCarson chipped in 11, and Bessler tallied 10.
At the net, Morehead State deterred seven total SIUE attacks, collecting two solo blocks and ten block assists. Sophomore middle blockers
Hannah Keating and
Mia Swearingen anchored the middle for the Eagles, blocking three and four balls, respectively. As a team, Morehead State's defense held the Cougars to a .123 team hitting percentage.
Offensively, a trio of Eagles finished with double-figure kill counts as a pair of junior outside hitters combined for 40 of the team's 67 kills.
Olivia Lohmeier registered a match-high 21 kills while
Lauren Rokey followed right on her heels with 19 terminations of her own. Swearingen added 15 kills to round out the trio. Keating (.385) and Swearingen (.345) both concluded the match with hitting percentages north of .340.
Directing the offense, Bessler passed out 53 of the team's 62 assists, averaging 10.6 helpers per set. With five assists on the afternoon, McCarson followed Bessler on the box score, setting a season-high in the category.
Tying a career-high, Montelisciani led the Eagles' service, landing six of the team's nine service aces. The six aces tie her six pocketed against Davidson in September for the most in a match this season. Lohmeier, McCarson, and Whitten also collected an ace apiece.
Finishing out the month of October, Morehead State begins the season's final month with an excursion to the Music City, facing Tennessee State and Belmont. The Eagles size up the Tigers next Friday at 7 p.m. ET before tussling with the Bruins at 3 p.m. next Saturday.
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