Volleyball Earns Sweep over Eastern Illinois in Series Opener

Morehead, Ky. -- Morehead State tied its season-high with 13 total blocks and posted its second-highest offensive efficiency to sweep Eastern Illinois (25-12, 26-24, 25-17) in the series opener Thursday night in Johnson Arena.
 
Morehead State (10-11, 6-5 OVC) was led by Haidyn Carter up front with a season-high nine total blocks and Hollan Everett led the MSU attack with 15 kills with an efficient .351 hitting percentage. The Eagles posted a .364 hitting percentage, it's second-highest efficiency of the season.
 
Morehead State cruised through the first set hitting an efficient .455. Amelia Nott led the Eagle attack with five kills on five swings, posting a 1.000 efficiency. MSU posted a 4-0 advantage in blocks in the set, led by Carter with three.
 
Eastern Illinois ran off a pair of four-point runs to take a 16-9 lead and got a 5-1 run to get to set point at 24-18. The Eagles responded by turning away six set points and closed out the set with an 8-0 run. Everett smacked nine kills to pace the Eagles and Warrick added five in the frame.  Carter and Kylie Sharp both led the way up front with three blocks.
 
The third set was closely contested through the early stages of the frame. A 7-0 Morehead State run pushed the Eagles ahead 16-8. The teams traded points as Morehead State closed out the match with a kill by Freshman Anna Schiltz.
 
Eastern Illinois (5-15, 4-5 OVC) was led by junior Katie Kopshever with 10 kills, and Jorah Rutter with nine terminations and a .333 hitting percentage. Morehead Stater posted a 4-2 advantage in team blocks and hit .375 for the set to .037 for EIU.
 
The Eagles and the Panthers square off Friday in Johnson Arena in an Education Day game. First serve is scheduled for 12:00 ET. The match is scheduled to be streamed on ESPN+.
 
NOTABLE

• Morehead State tied its season high in total team blocks set at UT Martin on October 2. Everett matched her career-high with five block assists. Sharp set tied her career high with four total blocks.
• The match was the Eagles' fourth straight posting a hitting percentage better than .300.
• The Eagles smacked six aces led by Amelia Nott with three.
• Eastern Illinois had a 50-44 edge in digs, led by Panther libero Ariadna Pereles with 14. Courtney Fitzgerald led MSU with nine.