Morehead, Ky.-- Morehead State got off to a fast start and used a stout defense to sweep Southern Indiana (25-19, 25-17, 25-21) to sweep the series Saturday afternoon in Johnson Arena.
Morehead State (8-5, 2-0 OVC) was led by
Hollan Everett, who posted 13 kills, hitting .281 and posted four total blocks.
Sarah Heath tied her career high with 12 kills and added three blocks. The Eagles posted 10 blocks in the match, led by Morehead native
Bailey Brashear with five.
MSU reeled off the first nine points of the match and held off a USI comeback in the opening set. USI closed to 18-20 before the Eagles outscored Southern Indiana 5-1 to close out the frame. MSU hit .255 while holding USI to a .132 efficiency.
Morehead State used a six-point run to take an early 10-4 lead in the second set. Southern Indiana fought back to tie the score at 11-11. Morehead outscored the Screaming Eagles 8-1 and closed out the set with a 5-2 run. The Eagles posted six blocks in the frame, holding USI to a -.022 hitting percentage. Brashear and Heath both posted three block assists in the set.
Set three was tightly contested with seven tie scores and two lead changes. USI, who entered the weekend leading the Ohio Valley Conference in blocks piled up five in the frame. After a service error tied the score at 18-18, Morehead State ran off a four-point run to go up 22-18. USI held off two match points before Heath ended the match with her 12
th kill of the afternoon.
Southern Indiana was led by Leah Coleman with eight kills. Carley Wright added seven and Ashby Willis and Bianca Anderson added six apiece. Anderson also posted a game-high six blocks.
Morehead State will return to Ohio Valley Conference play Tuesday when they travel to Tennessee State. The match is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET.
NOTABLE
- Morehead State held USI to a .066 hitting percentage, the lowest for an MSU opponent since St. John's posted .045 in the season opener. MSU finished with 45 kills on 127 attacks for a .205 efficiency.
- Morehead State finished with a 59-55 edge in digs, led by libero Courtney Fitzgerald and Tinsley Brown with 14 each. M.E. Hargan added 10 digs. USI's Aysa Thomas posted 17 digs for match honors.
- Sydney Sennett posted 35 assists, giving her 82 on the weekend and 406 on the season.
- The teams tied with three service aces apiece. Logan Smith, Brown and Sennett notched MSU's aces. USI's Thomas posted two aces on the day.
