MATCH NOTES | ESPN+ (GAME ONE | GAME TWO) | LIVE STATS (ALL MATCHES)

MOREHEAD, Ky. – Coming off the program's 1,000th victory and its annual senior day celebrations, Morehead State volleyball embarks for a series with in-state rival Eastern Kentucky this weekend at McBrayer Arena.

The Eagles enter the two-game series after sweeping Belmont in straight sets across two matches last weekend while the Colonels were swept last weekend at Jacksonville State, dropping both decisions in straight sets.

Morehead State enters the weekend as one of the top teams in the country in limiting its opponent's opportunities, ranking eighth in the NCAA in opponent's hitting percentage as foes have posted a .113 hitting efficiency against the Eagles this season.

The Eagles also rank as one of the top serving teams in the country, leading the Ohio Valley Conference in total service aces and service aces per set. The Eagles 0.50 assists per set also rank 17th in the NCAA.

Sophomore setter Bridget Bessler enters the Eastern Kentucky series after earning OVC Setter of the Week honors, her second of the season and fifth of her career. She passed out 13.1 assists per set in two matches last weekend, dishing out 79 total helpers.

Match one of the two-game series features a 4 p.m. ET first serve Sunday before the series concludes Monday at 6 p.m. Both matches can be viewed on ESPN+.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Records: Morehead State (12-0; 12-0 OVC) | Eastern Kentucky (2-10; 2-10 OVC)
Series: Morehead State leads 69-50
Last Five Meetings: Nov. 13, 2019 (MOR 3, EKU 0) | Oct. 9, 2019 (MOR 3, EKU 0) | Oct. 31, 2018 (MOR 3, EKU 0) | Sep. 26, 2018 (MOR 3, EKU 0) | Nov. 7, 2017 (MOR 3, EKU 1)

NOTABLE

• Sophomore setter Bridget Bessler garnered her second Ohio Valley Conference Setter of the Week award earlier this week after leading the league with an average of 13.1 assists per set through two matches last weekend. Overall, she passed out 79 assists in six sets while leading Morehead State to a .279 hitting percentage and a pair of sweeps.
• In the second match of the Belmont series, sophomore right-side hitter Abby Hulsman posted eight kills and one error on 10 swings to register her second .700 or better hitting match of the season (min. 10 attempts). The match (.700 hitting efficiency) marked the 20th match in program history with an attacker hitting .700 or better (min. 10 attempts).
• Bessler enters the weekend ranked 12th in the NCAA in assists per set, averaging 11.30 helpers per set as she's passed 452 total assists over 40 total sets this season. Her 452 assists lead the OVC and rank 87th in the country.
• Morehead State also enters the Eastern Kentucky series ranked 27th in the country in hitting percentage, holding a .265 team hitting efficiency. On the year, the Eagles have recorded 566 kills with 196 errors on 1,394 swings.
• Redshirt freshman middle blocker McKenzee Wagener leads Morehead State in hitting efficiency, connecting at a .367 clip on the season. She's recorded 53 kills with just 13 errors on 109 swings and would rank third in the OVC in the category, but falls just shy of the minimum attacks required for the ranking.
• Senior outside hitter Olivia Lohmeier ranks top-30 in the country in a pair of notable offensive categories, ranking 29th in kills per set, averaging 4.38 per set, and 23rd in points per set, averaging 5.04 per set. Her 5.04 points per set total lead the OVC while her 4.38 kills per set rank second in the league.
• Morehead State also continues to be one of the league's leaders in the service game, ranking tops in the OVC in both service aces per set and total service aces. The Eagles rank 17th in the NCAA in service aces per set, averaging 1.98 per set, having landed 79 total aces, a mark that ranks 67th in the country.
• Redshirt junior defensive specialist Taylor Hodges ranks 28th in the nation in aces per set, averaging 0.50 per set this season. She's landed 20 service aces in 40 sets, ranking her 90th in the NCAA in total service aces.
• The Eagles also enter the weekend as one of the stingiest defensive units in the country against opposing attackers, leading the OVC and ranking eighth in the nation in opponent's hitting percentage. Morehead State has surrendered just 395 kills while forcing 236 errors on 1,406 opponent attempts, a hitting efficiency of .113 for the Eagles' opposition.
• At the net, Morehead State's blockers average 2.34 blocks per set, ranking second in the OVC and 60th in the country in the category. The Eagles have collected 93.5 total blocks, claiming 17 solo blocks and 153 block assists.
• Wagener leads the Eagles blockers, leading the conference in blocks per set, averaging 1.19 blocks per set. She's tallied 43 total blocks over 36 sets this season, with seven block solos and 36 block assists. Just behind her on the conference leaderboard is fellow middle blocker, junior Mia Swearingen who averages 1.05 blocks per set, ranking fourth in the OVC, collecting 41 total blocks (four BS and 37 BA) in 39 sets.
• With Morehead State's victory in match one versus Belmont last weekend; the Eagles became the first Ohio Valley Conference volleyball program to reach the 1,000-win plateau. Morehead State enters the weekend with a 1,001-640-7 record.