Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. – Eastern Kentucky picked up its second straight volleyball victory by edging Bethune-Cookman 3-2 on Saturday at the South Florida Invitational.

The two teams exchanged victories in the first two sets with EKU (3-4) striking first with a 25-21 win and BCU (2-3) tying the match with a 25-23 win in the second set.  The Colonels cruised to a 25-16 win in the third set and a 2-1 lead.  However, the Wildcats came back to tie the match again with a 25-22 win in set four.

In the decisive fifth set, Bethune-Cookman jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead.  A kill by Ashley Edmond followed by a Wildcat error allowed Eastern to tie the set at 6-6.  Moments later the same sequence, a kill by Edmond and a BCU error, gave EKU its first lead in the set, 8-7. 

The score would be tied six more times before the match ended.  After Bethune-Cookman tied it for the final time, 14-14, Edmond responded with a kill to put Eastern on top by one.  The next series ended with a BCU attack error and the Colonels escaped with a 3-2 victory.

Three Colonels recorded double digit kill totals.  Edmond led the way with 16 kills to go along with 10 digs and three block assists.  Sophomore Kelsey Kuehner had 14 kills and only three errors for a .324 attack percentage.  Freshman Hannah Burkle contributed 11 kills and eight digs.

Freshman setter Abbey Cvelbar totaled a match-best 48 assists and 11 digs.  Freshman Dena Ott led the team with 15 digs.

Krysta Gardner and Janeen Davis each finished with 23 kills for Bethune-Cookman.

As a team, EKU out-hit BCU .274 to .169.  Both teams had 61 kills, but the Wildcats made 11 more errors.

The Colonels will conclude play at the South Florida Invitational on Sunday against Maryland Eastern Shore.  The match is scheduled to start at noon.