CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Behind the strength of a stellar defensive effort that produced nine team blocks and 61 team digs, Morehead State volleyball collected its fourth consecutive sweep Sunday, defeating Austin Peay in straight sets.
The Eagles (5-0; 5-0 OVC) downed the Governors (4-1; 4-1 OVC) behind scores of 25-22, 25-15, and 25-20 while holding Austin Peay to a .090 team hitting percentage. Morehead State's defensive performance held the Governors to a sub-.100 hitting efficiency for the first time since Oct. 30, 2018—a streak of 41 matches.
Helping the team to nine total blocks, a pair of Eagles tied career highs when turning away Governor attacks at the net. Redshirt freshman middle blocker
McKenzee Wagener collected six total blocks, including her first career solo block, to lead Morehead State. Joining Wagener in setting a career-high, senior outside hitter
Olivia Lohmeier tallied a pair of block solos for the first time in her career.
Behind the block, the Eagles' back row scooped up 61 total digs as three Eagles reached double-figure digs with all four of the team's defensive specialists scooping up five or more balls each.
Sophomore setter
Bridget Bessler led Morehead State with 13 digs, finishing one dig shy of equaling her career-best total while junior defensive specialist
Olivia Montelisciani and junior libero
Allison Whitten joining her in double-figures with 11 digs apiece.
Finishing just shy of double-digit digs, sophomore defensive specialist
Andrea Grimes dug up a career-high total, collecting nine balls Sunday.
Bessler added 34 assists in the match to tally her 11th career double-double, her first since the season-finale versus High Point in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship Opening Round.
Leading all attackers in the match, Lohmeier put away 15 terminations, pushing her streak of 10 or more kill matches to 17 straight—the second-longest streak of her career. She also chipped in seven digs, nearing a double-double for the second time in the past three games.
Morehead State also continued to press the service game after entering the match as the Ohio Valley Conference's top serving team. The Eagles picked up seven service aces Sunday and have now landed five or more winners in all five matches this season. Bessler and redshirt junior defensive specialist
Taylor Hodges led Morehead State with three aces apiece with Bessler tying a career-high in the category.
The Eagles and Governors return for the finale of their two-game series Monday afternoon with first serve set for 3 p.m. ET.
