Box Score

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Eastern Kentucky and Southern Illinois Edwardsville had met on the volleyball court four times in the past three seasons before the Colonels dispatched the Cougars 3-1 on Saturday in the first-ever Ohio Valley Conference match between the two programs. 

EKU won by scores of 27-25, 20-25, 25-23 and 27-25.  The victory was the third straight for the Colonels (9-8, 4-2 OVC).

Freshman Hannah Burkle led Eastern with 15 kills, a .308 attack percentage and four blocks.  Ashley Edmond added 11 kills and 15 digs.  Freshman Abbey Cvelbar had 43 assists and 19 digs.  Freshman Dena Ott posted a team-best 23 digs.

Much like its victory over Eastern Illinois on Friday, EKU did not fare well statistically, but came out on top in all three sets decided by two points.  SIU Edwardsville (7-12, 2-5 OVC) finished with two more kills, one fewer errors, four more assists, one more block and out-hit Eastern .203 to .191.  However, the Cougars committed eight service errors and the Colonels had three more aces than the home team.

Emma Anderson led SIUE with 15 kills.  Jessica Hemann added 14 kills and a .371 attack percentage.

A kill by Hemann gave SIU Edwardsville a 25-24 lead in the first set, but Eastern answered with three straight kills by Burkle, Alexis Plagens and Kelsey Kuehner to win the opening set.  After the Cougars tied the score by winning the second set, the Colonels used a 4-0 spurt in the third set to build an eight-point lead, 20-12.  However, EKU had to hold off a SIUE rally.  A kill by Hemann followed by an Eastern error allowed the home squad to draw within one, 24-23, before a kill by Burkle ended the set and gave the visitors a 2-1 advantage.

It was Eastern Kentucky that did the rallying in the fourth set.  After falling behind by six, 18-12, the Colonels slowly inched their way back and tied the score 23-23 on a kill by Robyn Hench.  SIUE reached set-point, 24-23, before back-to-back points by EKU swung the momentum.  Moments later a kill by Burkle followed by a Cougar error ended the set, and the match.

The Colonels will conclude their three-match road trip on Monday at Austin Peay.  The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET.