Volleyball Eagles Open Season with Five-Set Victory over Fairfield

Knoxville, Tenn. -- The Morehead State volleyball team opened the 2026 season with a five-set win (25-22, 20-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-13) over Fairfield Friday in the Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn.
 
"I'm really glad that they (Fairfield) were our first test," said Morehead State head coach Kyrsten Becker-McBride. "They are a really good team that plays very solid and has physical athletes. To come away with a win is a great start for us."
 
Senior Hollan Everett led a trio of Eagles with double-digit kills with 20 a .241 hitting percentage. Everett added three blocks, including a block solo
 
"I thought Hollan did a really great job and some of those swings were on some tough balls, and we put her in some tough situations," said Becker-McBride. "Full credit to her for staying with it; she showed great resilience."
 
Senior middle Amelia Nott tied her career high with 14 kills, posting a .306 attack efficiency. She added three blocks and three service aces.
 
"We told our setters that in some situations Ameila was the first option and every time we got her the ball, she did something great with it."
 
Freshman Ella Warrick posted a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs in her debut as an Eagle. She added a match-high four aces.
 
After splitting first two sets, Morehead State got off to an early 3-0 lead in the final frame. Fairfield responded with a four-point run to even the score 8-8.  The teams traded points, with the Stags inching ahead 12-10, then 13-11. Nott got a side-out for the Eagles, then tied up the score with her second ace of the match. After a Fairfield attack error, Everett clinched the match with her 20^th termination of the match.
 
Morehead State (1-1) got off to a fast start in the match, taking a 6-2 lead in the opening set and never trailed. Everett led the early attack with two kills. Later, Fairfield (0-1) ran off four straight points to tie the score at 12-12. The Eagles responded with a pair of three-point runs to take a 21-16 lead. Fairfield held off three set points before Everett clinched the frame with her seventh kill of the set. Morehead State hit .275 in the frame, while Fairfield posted a .200 efficiency.
 
Set two was a tight affair with seven ties and four lead changes. Fairfield got some separation with a four-point run to take an 11-7 lead. Another four-point run pushed the Stags out to an 18-11 lead on the way to closing out the frame 25-20. The Eagle attack cooled, posting an.094 hitting percentage to Fairfield's .276 attack efficiency.
 
The Eagles got back on track in the third frame with a balanced attack the saw MSU post a .486 hitting percentage. Everett, Warrick, Nott and freshman Anna Shiltz each posted four kills in the stanza.
 
Fairfield forced the tiebreaker after gaining control with a three-point run to make the score 19-15. The Stags held the Eagles to a .062 attack efficiency. Everett led the Eagle attack with six kills in the frame.
 
The Eagles return to action on Saturday when they take on the host Tennessee Volunteers in Thompson-Boling Arena at the Food City Center. First serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET. The match can be watched on SEC+. A link is available at msueagles.com on the volleyball schedule page.
 
NOTABLES

• Senior Courtney Fitzgerald and Warrick led Morehead State with 14 digs apiece tying with two Fairfield players for match honors. Fitzgerald surpassed the 1,000-dig mark for her career.
• Sydney Sennett posted a double-double with 25 assists and 13 digs.
• Morehead State finished with 11 total blocks to 10 for Fairfield. Freshman Haiden Carter finished with five blocks to tie for match honors with Fairfield's Emma Bortolotti and Harlan Wyche.  
• The Eagles posted eight aces while giving up seven to Fairfield.