Volleyball Falls to NKU in Five Set Thriller

MOREHEAD, KY --The Morehead State volleyball team fell 3-2 (28-26, 24-26, 23-25, 25-21, 10-15) to the Northern Kentucky Norse Friday at home at Johnson Arena in a match that lasted just under three hours. 

The non-conference loss moved Morehead State to 5-3 on the season.

The Eagle offense was paced by Hollan Everett, who finished with 15 kills on the day. M.E. Hargan added 13 and Maycie Welborn chipped in with 11 as part of balanced Morehead State attack. Defensively, Morehead State had two players reach double figures in digs as Peighton Isley had 31 and Brenna Bommer had 10, notching her second double-double in as many games with 24 assists as well. From the front row, Irene Wogenstahl contributed six blocks and Amelia Nott added five rejections.

Sydney Sennett impressed in the final three sets of the match, posting a career-best 24 assists with four kills and four digs.

GAME NOTES

» Morehead State had three players in double figures in kills.
» Shea Hefner had a match-high four aces in the loss.
» Hollan Everett had a team-high 15 kills for Morehead State.
» Morehead State got a team-high 31 digs from Peighton Isley.
» Morehead State attackers were helped out by setters Brenna Bommer and Sydney Sennett, who both posted 24 assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

SET 1 | The Eagles survived a back-and-forth first set to win 28-26 in a stanza that featured eight lead changes and was tied 13 times. Neither team led by more than three points in the match. got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked four Northern Kentucky attacks in the stanza.

SET 2 | Morehead State then fell in set two 26-24, tying the match at a set apiece. The Eagles dropped a close second set, losing in a stanza that was tied six times and had one lead change.

SET 3 | Morehead State then lost their second set in a row, falling behind in the match two sets to one. The Eagles dropped the first point and never clawed back into the lead before falling in the set 25-23.

SET 4 | Morehead State broke their two set losing streak and forced a fifth set with a 25-21 victory in set number four. A solid performance on the attacking end led the Eagles to victory in the set. Morehead State put together a .304 attack percentage with 17 kills in the set win. The Eagles opened up a 14-9 lead in the stanza and coasted to victory from there. Morehead State also supplemented their offense with three aces in the set.

SET 5 | After dropping sets two and three, Morehead State won set four, knotting up the game at two sets apiece to force a fifth set, but couldn't complete the comeback, losing the set 15-10 and the match 3-2. The Eagles had a lead early in the set at 2-1 before Northern Kentucky took over and held on for the win.

Morehead State returns to action Saturday afternoon, as the Eagles take on the Butler Bulldogs in the Comfort Inn-Vitational finale.