Live Stats For Saturday's Match Against Jacksonville State

Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Freshman Ashley Edmond and senior Lauren Snyder led Eastern Kentucky to a 3-1 win over Tennessee Tech on Friday night in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both teams. The Colonels (2-8, 1-0 OVC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead and then stopped the Golden Eagles’ (2-10, 0-1 OVC) rally with a win in the fourth set.

Set scores were 25-23, 26-24, 21-25 and 25-21.

Edmond posted her first career 20-20 performance, finishing with a match-best 20 kills to go along with 21 digs. She hit .244 for the match and added three service aces. Snyder contributed a double-double (16 kills and 11 digs) in addition to hitting .205 for the match.

Eastern Kentucky had 11 fewer attacks than TTU, but finished with nine more kills than the visitors. Tech’s blocking edge of 14-6 kept the match close throughout.

EKU freshman Marissa Tashenberg had four kills and three total blocks. She recorded the first and last kill of the match. Senior #Abby O’Connor# posted a match-high 26 digs.

Leah Meffert posted a double-double with a team-high 14 kills in addition to 13 digs. Marie Peddicord added 13 kills and six total blocks.

After Tashenberg’s first kill to open the match, Tennessee Tech scored three straight for an early 3-1 lead. After a Tech error tied the score at 6-6, an ace by Robyn Hench gave Eastern the lead for good. The Colonels took the first set 25-23 after a TTU service error.

The second set was close throughout. The score was tied 12 times and the lead changed hands on nine occasions. Back-to-back Tennessee Tech attack errors allowed EKU to build a three-point advantage, 22-19, late in the set, but the Golden Eagles didn’t fold. Three straight Eastern attack errors put the visitors in front 24-23, but Tech would not score again. A kill by Snyder tied the score and another kill by Autumn Harms gave the Colonels set-point. A TTU attack error ended the set and put Eastern on top 2-0.

Neither team could build much of an advantage in the third set, but a kill by Snyder and a Golden Eagle error left Eastern Kentucky on top 20-18. However, Tennessee Tech scored six straight to take control. A kill by Snyder stopped the run, but a kill by Elise Robertson on the next series ended the set and cut the TTU deficit to 2-1.

Eastern began to pull away midway through the fourth set. An ace from Snyder followed by a kill from Harms made it 16-12. A kill by Edmond kept the margin at four, 17-13. Another kill by Edmond gave EKU a five-point advantage, 21-16. An attack error by Meffert left the home squad on top by six, 23-17. A kill by Snyder kept the margin at six and brought Eastern Kentucky to match-point, 24-18. Two plays later Tashenberg finished off the Golden Eagles with a kill.

The Colonels will return to action on Saturday at home against Jacksonville State, the 2009 OVC regular season champions. The match will begin at 2 p.m.