Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – On Senior Day, senior Lauren Snyder had 16 kills and senior #Abby O’Connor# totaled 30 digs to lead Eastern Kentucky to a 3-2 victory over Southern Illinois Edwardsville on Saturday at McBrayer Arena.

SIU Edwardsville won the first set 26-24 before Eastern won sets two and three by scores of 25-20 and 25-22. The Cougars staved off elimination by winning the fourth set 26-24. The Colonels jumped out to a big lead in the decisive fifth set and won 15-7.

Snyder added two aces and 20 digs to her team-high 16 kills. Freshman Ashley Edmond finished with 14 kills, three block assists and two aces. Senior Autumn Harms contributed 10 kills. Sophomore Jessica Mueller had a career-best 46 assists.

Amanda Fago, Kelsey Rose and Chelsea Lee, along with Snyder, O’Connor and Harms, were also honored in a pregame ceremony before playing their final home match.

Julia Whitfield led SIU Edwardsville (12-14) with 16 kills. Sydney Winslow and Kelsey Mosher finished with 14 and 12 kills respectively. Both players also had three total blocks. Karie Downing led all players with 36 digs.

In the fifth set, SIUE scored the first point and led 2-1 after Whitfield’s second kill of the set. However, Eastern Kentucky went on a 10-2 run, including six straight points, to take control. Lee’s kill followed by a pair of Cougar errors capped the run and put the home team in front 11-4. A kill by Edmond and a kill by Harms finished off the set, and the match.

Eastern Kentucky (11-15) finished with 60 kills, 30 errors and a .160 attack percentage. SIU Edwardsville had 13 more attacks than the Colonels but had three fewer kills (57) and four more errors (34). The Cougars posted a .110 attack percentage.

SIU out-blocked EKU 10-6, but Eastern held a 103 to 85 advantage in digs.

The Colonels will close out the regular season next weekend on the road. EKU will play at Murray State on Friday at 8 p.m., and take on UT Martin on Saturday at 3 p.m.