RICHMOND, Ky. – It’s back to the road for the Eastern Kentucky volleyball team this weekend. The Colonels played their first home match of the season on Tuesday, after playing their first 11 matches away from McBrayer Arena. EKU opened Ohio Valley Conference play with two road matches last weekend. The team will face Murray State and Tennessee-Martin on the road this weekend.

The match against the Racers will begin at 8 p.m. (ET) on Friday. Saturday’s match at UT Martin is scheduled for 2 p.m. (ET).

The Colonels (2-10, 1-2 OVC) split their two conference contests last weekend on the road, falling in five sets at Southeast Missouri before sweeping Eastern Illinois. On Tuesday, in the team’s first home match of the season, Eastern Kentucky won the opening set against Tennessee State before the Tigers rallied for a 3-1 win.

Murray State (4-7, 1-1 OVC) is coming off a sweep of Eastern Illinois on Tuesday. The win snapped a six match losing streak for MSU. In their only other conference match this season, the Racers lost at UT Martin by a score of 3-1.

Ashley Nenninger leads MSU with an average of 2.61 kills per set. She has a .178 attack percentage for the season. Sara Hayden leads the team with 31 blocks and is tied for the lead with 10 service aces. Jade Guo is the team’s primary setter, averaging 7.37 assists per set. She also chips in with 1.29 kills per set. Heather Norris leads the team with 154 digs, but Alison Mugler is close behind with 151.

UT Martin enters the weekend with a 3-11 record and a 1-1 conference mark. The Skyhawks won their first two matches of the season before dropping 10 straight. Their win at home over Murray State snapped the skid. On Tuesday, UTM was shutout at Southeast Missouri.

Taylor Noland leads UT Martin with an average of 2.69 kills per set. Brittany Wilburn has a team-best 34 blocks and contributes 1.71 kills per set. Jenna Miller and Emily Steinbeck have shared setting duties. Miller has 210 assists for an average of 8.08 per set. Steinbeck has 241 assists for an average of 7.30 per set. Breanne Carey leads the squad with 199 digs.

The Skyhawks will host Morehead State on Friday.