Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Third place Eastern Kentucky lost to eighth place Tennessee State 3-1 on Tuesday night. The Tigers had eight more kills and six fewer attack errors than the Colonels.

EKU (9-13, 8-5 OVC) failed to take advantage of 14 Tennessee State service errors. Shaquita Williams led the Tigers (6-15, 4-9 OVC) with a match-best 16 kills and four total blocks. Vicmari Prospero had 15 kills and no attack errors in 24 attempts for a .625 hitting percentage. Erika Moss had 42 assists and six service aces for the visitors.

Ashley Edmond led the home squad with 14 kills. Lauren Snyder had 13 kills. #Abby O’Connor# posted a match-high 22 digs.

Eastern Kentucky scored the first five points of the first set, but TSU battled back. Back-to-back kills by Prospero and Calasia Williams put the Tigers on top 11-10. The Colonels stretched their lead back to four three times but couldn’t hold off a Tennessee State rally. Two straight kills by Prospero tied the set at 19-19. A kill by Williams followed by a kill from Kamille King finished off the first set 25-21 in favor of State.

After being out-hit .289 to .125 in the first set, the Colonels turned it around in the second. EKU held a .259 to .111 advantage in the 25-18 second set victory. Eastern used a 7-1 run early to turn a 6-3 deficit into an 11-7 lead and continued to pull away.

Tennessee State never trailed in the third set on its way to a 25-23 victory and a 2-1 lead. The Tigers used a 7-1 run to take a 17-10 lead. However, Eastern Kentucky didn’t fold. The Colonels slowly closed the gap and tied the score 23-23 on consecutive kills by Snyder and a TSU error. A kill by Williams gave TSU set-point and an Eastern error gave the Tigers the set.

TSU never trailed in the fourth set either. A kill by Amanda Fago drew EKU to within three, 10-7, but the Colonels never got any closer. A kill by Prospero ended the set 25-19 and gave the match to the Tigers.

The Colonels will host a pair of matches on homecoming weekend. EKU will face Eastern Illinois on Friday at 7 p.m., and will take on Southeast Missouri on Saturday at noon.