MOREHEAD, Ky. – Returning home for the first time this season and following up a series sweep of Eastern Illinois, Morehead State volleyball behind the strength of a stout defensive effort continued its winning ways, producing a straight-set sweep of in-state rival Murray State.
Out-blocking and out-digging their opponent to the tune of 10-0 and 55-44, respectively, the Eagles moved the 3-0 on the young season, handing the Racers their first defeat of the year as they move to 2-1.
Behind the strength of a 10-block performance and an active back row, Morehead State held Murray State to a .037 hitting efficiency, forcing a decline in the percentage across each set, including -.028 in the final set.
Middle blockers
Mia Swearingen and
McKenzee Wagener led at the net, collecting five block assists apiece with Wagener's total marking a career-high. Joining the middles, outside
Olivia Lohmeier and right-side hitter
Liz Allen added four and three blocks apiece.
Behind the block, three Eagles cleaned up 10 or more digs apiece with defensive specialists
Taylor Hodges and
Olivia Montelisciani leading the way with 15 and 11 digs apiece. Libero
Allison Whitten joined the duo with 10 digs, entering tomorrow's match four digs shy of 1,000 for her career.
Offensively, a pair of outside hitters, Lohmeier and
Lauren Rokey, finished with double-digit kills for the third consecutive game to open the season. Lohmeier led the way, racking up 15 terminations to extend the second-longest streak of double-figure kill matches of her career to 15 while Rokey tied the longest 10-plus kill match streak of her career at seven games.
In addition to their five block assists, Wagner added a career-best eight kills with Swearingen adding five while both fashioned hitting efficiencies of .500.
Running the offense, setter
Bridget Bessler passed out a team-best 38 as for the second straight match Morehead State recorded an assist on all but one kill. Appearing in her second match this season, setter
Brenna Bommer handed out her first career assist in the match, a helper that led to the match's final point.
The Eagles and Racers continue their season series tomorrow afternoon at Johnson Arena with first serve again set for 2 p.m. ET. The game also airs on ESPN+.
