RICHMOND, Ky. --- The Tennessee State Tigers (6-20, 2-10 OVC) pushed through four sets in the loss to the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (11-15, 9-3 OVC) at McBrayer Arena.
EKU won by scores of 23-25, 25-16, 25-13, 25-16.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
SET BY SET
First Set: In a lengthy set, TSU played to win. Senior Samantha Beltran scored the first Tiger point with a kill and would assist the offense with six sets during this set. Curstyn Wilson started a 6-0 run with a kill where three more Tigers got a chance to post points for TSU. Eastern would continue to play trying to keep the score even, when Rachel Henderson and Katora Roberts put up points for the Tigers, tying it at 22. In a hair-raising end of the set, EKU made errors that helped the Tigers take it 25-23.
Second Set: With an EKU error, the Tigers took the first point of the set and continued to compete recording seven kills, three from senior middle blocker Katora Roberts. Freshman Sydney Swann was the sole Tiger to record a positive hitting percentage (.500) during the set as Eastern held the Tigers to a -.049 clip. Swann recorded a kill to bring Big Blue within two, but EKU went on multiple runs that left TSU at 16. Colonels win the set on a six-point run, 25-16.
Third Set: The Tigers came back from the half with a slow start, allowing EKU to go 14-3, before Sydney Swann came up with a kill to get the ball to Curstyn Wilson. Wilson served up two back-to-back aces to give the Tigers some spunk, but the Colonels held the Tigers to just 10 more points for the set. EKU takes set three 25-13.
Fourth Set: After a hard third set, the Tigers decided to keep up with Eastern for 10 points and they were tied at five. However, EKU pulled away going on to notch 14 kills and two blocks holding TSU to a .000 clip on six kills. Henderson and Roberts combined for a block, while Roberts posted three kills and Ma. Evans 2. Eastern Kentucky closed the match with two kills by Cassie Knutson taking it 25-16.
MATCH NOTES
- Eastern Kentucky recognized graduating players in its Senior Night before the match.
- TSU is now 2-10 in the league, 6-20 overall.
- In the all-time series against EKU, TSU is 11-54.
UP NEXT
Big Blue begins a slew of home games to end the season against crosstown rival Belmont Oct. 31 at 6 p.m. in Kean Hall. AOB will be in attendance and the volleyball team will be handing out free candy!
#BigBlueRising
