Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky won the first set, but Tennessee State won the next three to claim a 3-1 Ohio Valley Conference victory Tuesday night at McBrayer Arena. The match was the 2008 home opener for the Colonels (2-10, 1-2 OVC). The Tigers (2-6, 1-2 OVC) were led by Christian Lowe’s game-high 18 kills.

Lindsey Loescher led Eastern Kentucky with 11 kills and added 13 digs for her first EKU career double-double. Abby O'Connor finished with a game-high 24 digs for the Colonels.

Terraka Walker contributed 10 kills and 15 digs for Tennessee State. Candace Saleaumua totaled a match-high 35 assists and a team-best 21 digs.

In the first set, EKU used a 9-0 run, highlighted by three aces from Jill Henneman, to take control of the set with a 19-7 lead. Amanda Wilson's kills stretched the lead to 22-9. Hannah Groudle's kill ended the set 25-11 in favor of the Colonels.

An attack error by Loescher allowed the Tigers to stretch their lead in the second set to 17-9. Another EKU error put TSU in front 21-11. Eastern answered with a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to five, 23-18. However, Lowe’s kill at set-point gave the set to Tennessee State 25-19 and tied the match at 1-1.

The third set was all Tennessee State. The Tigers came out of the break and won the first eight points and never looked back. A kill by Saleaumua made it 14-4. Walker’s ace kept TSU in front by 10, 19-9. A pair of EKU attack errors sandwiched around a ball handling error gave the Tigers the final three points of the 25-11 set.

Tennessee State hit .367 in the third set. The Tigers had only two attack errors in 30 attempts.

The fourth set remained close through the first 19 points. A kill by Bridget Mustard put the Colonels up 10-9. However, TSU went on a 12-3 run to take control of the match. A kill by LaQuasha Gough gave the visitors a 21-13 advantage. The set (25-15) and the match ended on a kill by Christina Raiford.

Eastern Kentucky posted a .072 attack percentage for the match. Tennessee State hit .216 despite opening the match with a -.030 percentage in the first set.

The Colonels will return to action on Friday for a second straight weekend of OVC road action. EKU will play at Murray State beginning at 8 p.m. (ET) on Friday. Eastern will play at Tennessee-Martin on Saturday at 3 p.m. (ET).