MATCH NOTES | LIVE VIDEO (BELMONT | TENNESSEE STATE) | LIVE STATS (BELMONT | TENNESSEE STATE)

MOREHEAD, Ky. – Seeking to improve upon its best home start since 2008, Morehead State volleyball opens Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend. The Eagles (9-3) host Belmont (1-14) and Tennessee State (7-6), beginning league play at home for the second straight season.

Last season, Morehead State swept both ends of the series with the OVC's Nashville contingent, defeating both Belmont and Tennessee State twice. The Eagles swept the Bruins in straight sets in both meetings while defeating Tennessee State in straight and four sets last year. Overall, Morehead State owns a 53-14 all-time series lead over Tennessee State while Belmont leads the all-time series 9-8.

The Eagles enter having claimed three of the OVC's four weekly awards as junior Olivia Lohmeier garnered Offensive Player of the Week honors and freshman setter Bridget Bessler came away with Setter and Newcomer of the Week nods. Claiming three of the league's weekly honors this week marks Morehead State's largest single-week award haul since capturing three weekly awards on Sep. 11, 2017.

Capturing two weekly award wins, Bessler becomes the first player in Morehead State volleyball history to claim multiple OVC weekly awards in the same week and just the fourth player in program history to earn multiple, different weekly awards in the same season, joining Amy Almond, Cherelle Lampkins, and Lauren Mackey.

Last weekend, Lohmeier slammed home a team-best 65 kills, accruing 5.91 kills per set while hitting .379 for the weekend. She collected a career-best 32 kills against Marshall, recording Morehead State's first 30-plus kill match since Ellie Roberson (32 kills at Tennessee Tech) in October 2012. Fellow junior outside hitter Lauren Rokey added 42 kills (3.82 per set) last weekend, hitting .263.

Running the offense, Bessler dished out 134 assists across 10 sets, averaging 13.40 assists per set. She opened the weekend, dishing out a career-best 69 assists versus Marshall. The total marked the highest single-game assist total for Morehead State true freshman setter since Casie Garland eclipsed 60 assists against Eastern Illinois in 2001. Bessler also added 42 assists in three sets versus Southeastern Louisiana, giving Bessler the highest three-set match assist total in the OVC this season.

Defensively, the Eagles held their opponents to a .137 hitting percentage, allowing just 109 kills while forcing 59 errors across 11 sets. Morehead State collected 17.5 total blocks in three matches paced by redshirt junior right-side hitter Liz Allen and sophomore middle blocker Mia Swearingen who recorded 10 total blocks apiece. Along the backline, the Eagles tallied 170 total digs as four players scooped up 20 or more balls.

In service, Morehead State landed 18 service aces in three matches. Sophomore defensive specialist Olivia Montelisciani led the Eagles with five service aces as Bessler (four), redshirt sophomore defensive specialist Taylor Hodges (three), sophomore libero Allison Whitten (three), freshman defensive specialist Andrea Grimes (one), and redshirt senior defensive specialist Danielle McCarson (one) all recorded aces.

Morehead State hosts Belmont Friday at 6 p.m. ET before welcoming in Tennessee State at 2 p.m. Saturday.