RICHMOND, Ky. – Leading 29-28 in the third game, Eastern Kentucky’s volleyball team nearly pushed the match to a fourth game, but Murray State came back to win the third game, 32-30, and complete the sweep of the Colonels tonight at McBrayer Arena. Three EKU players registered double-digit kill totals led by junior Amanda Wilson and freshman Amanda Fago with 17 each.
Game scores were 30-23, 30-24 and 32-30. The Colonels drop to 4-22 and 3-13 in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Racers, who entered the night just one match behind Morehead State for first place in the OVC, improve to 15-11 overall and 12-4 against league teams.
Wilson hit .286 to go along with her 17 kills. Junior Bridget Mustard added 10 kills. Senior Brittany Nobilio finished the night with 23 digs. She needs 36 more digs to move into fourth place on the NCAA career digs list.
Four players keyed the offensive attack for Murray State. Tara DeMage posted a team-high 14 kills and hit .444. Sara Hayden added 13 kills with a .480 attack percentage. Alyssa Groves hit .300 and notched 12 kills. Alison Mugler registered 11 kills, hit .385 and led the team with 15 digs. All together, five Racers finished with 10 or more digs. As a team MSU hit .338.
Murray State committed just three attack errors in each of the first two games and hit .364 in the first game and .395 in game two.
A kill by DeMage opened up a 6-point lead, 11-5, for the Racers in game three but EKU battled back. A 7-2 run capped by a kill from Fago tied the score at 19-19. Mustard’s kill moments later gave the Colonels a 21-20 advantage. The game would be tied eight more times. A Murray State attack error gave Eastern game-point at 29-28 but DeMage tied it with a kill on the next play. Fago’s kill allowed Eastern to reach game-point again at 30-29, but back-to-back EKU attack errors after a Becca Lamb kill allowed the Racers to clinch the match.
The Colonels will be right back in action on Saturday when Tennessee-Martin visits McBrayer Arena. The match is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Senior Day activities will be held before the match. Saturday is also Youth Day. Goodie bags will be given away to fans under 13 and to EKU students. Following the match the volleyball team will autograph free posters.
