BOX SCORE
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – For the first time since 2013, Morehead State volleyball will compete for an Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship, advancing to Saturday evening's 2019 OVC Volleyball Championship with a straight-set victory.
The Eagles (23-8) swept No. 1 seed and host Jacksonville State (20-10) by scores of 25-20, 25-23, 25-20. The victory snapped a three-match losing streak to the Gamecocks and avenged an earlier season sweep at Johnson Arena.
Morehead State continued to ride stout defense in the victory, holding Jacksonville State to a .128 hitting efficiency while collecting seven team total blocks. The Eagles also collected 55 digs and took advantage of four service aces en route to the victory.
Sophomore middle blocker
Mia Swearingen was once again a force at the net for Morehead State, leading the match with five total blocks, including one solo. In concert with Swearingen at the net, redshirt junior right-side hitter
Liz Allen and junior outside hitter
Lauren Rokey recorded three total blocks apiece.
Behind the block, a pair of Eagles patrolled the backline as sophomores, libero
Allison Whitten and defensive specialist
Olivia Montelisciani each registered double-figure dig totals. Whitten paced Morehead State, scooping up 11 balls while Montelisciani added 10. Redshirt senior defensive specialist
Danielle McCarson added eight digs, nearly joining the duo in double-digits.
Offensively, Morehead State had three Eagles collect 10 or more terminations as for the second-straight night, Rokey, junior outside hitter
Olivia Lohmeier, and sophomore middle blocker
Hannah Keating each recorded double-figure kills. Against Jacksonville State, Lohmeier led the way with a match-best 15 kills while Rokey added 12 and Keating 10. Keating also crafted a robust .833 hitting efficiency, collecting her 10 kills on 12 swings with no errors.
Orchestrating the Eagle attack, freshman setter
Bridget Bessler passed out 41 assists (13.67 per set), totaling her third-best total in a three-set match this season. Friday night's match marks the third time this season she's surpassed the 40 assists mark in a three-set match as she's the only OVC setter to do so three times this season.
Morehead State continues its quest for its fifth OVC Volleyball Tournament Championship title tomorrow evening. The fourth-seeded Eagles take on No. 2 seed Southeast Missouri in the 2019 OVC Volleyball Championship finals Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.
