MATCH NOTES | ESPN+ (MATCH ONE | MATCH TWO) | LIVE STATS (MATCH ONE | MATCH TWO)

MOREHEAD, Ky. – Behind the strength of two stellar defensive efforts last weekend, Morehead State volleyball finished a sweep of Tennessee State and its fourth-straight weekend sweep to open the 2020-21 season.

Morehead State held the Lady Tigers to .063 and .059 hitting percentages in the two matches last weekend, the lowest combined hitting efficiency in a weekend series for an Eagle opponent this season. The Eagles enter the weekend ranked eighth in the NCAA in opponent hitting percentage, permitting a .106 opponent efficiency this season.

The Eagles also rank top-10 in the NCAA in a pair of other categories, ranking eighth in the country in assists per set and 10th in the nation in service aces per set.

Morehead State also enters the weekend series with Tennessee Tech off its best hitting efficiency of the season, posting a .382 match percentage last Monday. The Eagle ranks 26th in the NCAA and second in the OVC in hitting efficiency with redshirt freshman McKenzee Wagener leading the conference with a .385 hitting percentage.

Senior outside hitter Olivia Lohmeier enters the series with Tennessee Tech ranked 15th and 24th in the NCAA, respectively, in points and kills per set. In 26 sets this season, she's slammed home 115 terminations while tallying 136.0 points.

Sophomore setter Bridget Bessler ranks 14th in the country in assists per set, averaging 11.38 helpers per set. Overall, she's passed out 296 total assists.

Morehead State and Tennessee Tech begin their two-game series Sunday with the first match featuring an 8 p.m. ET first serve before the series concludes Monday with a 6 p.m. first serve. Both matches air on ESPN+.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Records: Morehead State (8-0; 8-0 OVC) | Tennessee Tech (4-4; 4-4 OVC)
Series: Morehead State leads 73-20
Last Five Meetings: Nov. 8, 2019 (MOR 3, TTU 1) | Oct. 5, 2019 (MOR 3, TTU 1) | Oct. 26, 2018 (MOR 3, TTU 1) | Sep. 22, 2018 (MOR 3, TTU 0) | Nov. 3, 2017 (MOR 3, TTU 0)

NOTABLE

• In back-to-back matches with Tennessee State last weekend, Morehead State permitted the Lady Tigers to hit .063 and .059 in the two matches. The matches were the third and fourth matches this season an Eagle opponent has hit .100 or lower with the Eagles only allowing one match hitting percentage north of .200 this season.
• Morehead State enters the weekend leading the Ohio Valley Conference and ranked eighth in the NCAA in opponent hitting percentage, holding foes to a .106 efficiency this season. This season, opponents have connected on 246 kills with 150 errors in 907 swings against the Eagles.
• In addition to holding Tennessee State to a .059 hitting percentage in Monday's match, Morehead State also posted its best hitting efficiency of the season, hitting .382 for the match. The Eagles recorded 50 kills, committing only 11 errors on 102 swings.
• Posting a .271 season hitting percentage (371 kills-124 errors-913 attempts), the Eagles rank second in the OVC in hitting efficiency while ranking 26^th in the country. Morehead State also enters the weekend as one of the two teams in the OVC with a .250 or better hitting percentage.
• Over the last three matches, Morehead State has recorded 50 or more kills in each match with two of the three matches only running three sets. Each of the three matches featured 17, 13, and 16.67 kills per set, respectively, for the Eagles.
• Collecting 371 kills in 26 sets this season, Morehead State ranks second in the OVC and 22^nd in the nation in kills per set, averaging 14.27 terminations per set. Senior outside hitter Olivia Lohmeier leads the Eagles with 4.42 KPS, ranking second in the league and 24^th in the country.
• In addition to entering the weekend, ranked 24^th in the NCAA in kills per set, Lohmeier also ranks 15^th in the nation and leads the OVC in points per set. On the season, she's tallied 136.0 points, averaging 5.23 PPS.
• Averaging 14.27 kills per set, Morehead State also averages 13.62 assists per set, passing out 354 assists in 26 sets to rank second in the OVC while ranking eighth in the NCAA. Sophomore setter Bridget Bessler ranks 14^th in the country and second in the OVC, averaging 11.38 assists per set this season.
• Redshirt freshman McKenzee Wagener has recorded 38 kills in 78 swings this season, committing only eight errors to craft a .385 hitting efficiency. She leads the OVC while ranking 45^th in the NCAA in hitting efficiency.
• Morehead State adds another top-10 NCAA ranking in service aces per set, averaging 2.12 winners per set to lead the OVC. Redshirt junior defensive specialist Taylor Hodges leads the Eagles with 14 aces this season, ranking 29^th in the nation in aces per set with 0.54 winners per set.
• Morehead State also leads the OVC in team service aces, landing 55 total aces this season. Over eight matches this season, the Eagles have recorded five or more aces in each match, including a season-high 11 in the second match versus Austin Peay on Feb. 22.
• In each of the team's past four matches, Morehead State's four defensive specialists and its setter have each recorded five or more digs apiece in each match. Of the four matches, two have included the group each digging up seven or more balls each.
• Passing out 38 assists while scooping up a career-high-tying 14 balls, Bessler recorded her second double-double of the season and has now recorded one in each of the past two weekends. Her 12 career double-doubles are the most of any active Eagle.
• In the final match versus Austin Peay on Feb. 22, sophomore right-side hitter Abby Hulsman posted the seventh-most efficient match in program history (min. 10 attacks) as she hit .750. She tallied nine kills with no errors on 12 swings.
• Despite dropping the third set in match one versus Tennessee State last weekend, Morehead State did win 19 consecutive sets after dropping the second set in the season-opening match with Eastern Illinois. The 19 consecutive set victories are the most in the rally-scoring era of collegiate volleyball (2000-pres.) while marking the second-longest streak in program history.
• With eight wins this season, Morehead State sits with 997 victories as a program, the most in Ohio Valley Conference history. With three more victories, the Eagles would become this first program in OVC history to reach 1,000 wins as a program.