Box Score

MURRAY, Ky. – Third seeded Eastern Kentucky surrendered a 2-1 lead and saw its season come to an end with a 3-2 loss to No. 6 seed Eastern Illinois in the first round of the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference Volleyball Tournament on Thursday.
 
Eastern Illinois (15-15) won by scores of 25-22, 21-25, 22-25, 25-23 and 15-8.
 
The Colonels (21-14) had a five-point lead, 19-14, late in the first set but watched the Panthers go on a 9-2 run to take a two-point lead.  EIU went on to win the set by three to for an early 1-0 lead.
 
Eastern Kentucky won the next two sets to go in front by one.  After falling behind early, the Colonels led for much of the second set.  A kill by Johanna Boyer brought EKU to set-point, 24-20.  Her kill moments later finished off the four-point victory.  Eastern had a two-point lead before using a 4-1 run to build a five-point cushion, 22-17, in the third set.  Rachel Vick's kill ended the set, 25-22.
 
The Colonels had a four-point lead late in the fourth set, 18-14, before the Panthers used another run to take the lead.  EIU scored six of the next seven for a 20-19 advantage.  The set was tied three more times before Eastern Illinois scored the final two points to win the set and tie the match 2-2.
 
EKU trailed by one in the decisive fifth set when the Panthers used a 5-1 run to take control.  Three straight errors by Eastern Kentucky ended the run and put EIU on top 11-6.  Eastern Illinois scored the final four points of the match to advance to the semifinals.
 
Senior Alexis Plagens led Eastern Kentucky with 24 kills.  She made only seven errors in 58 attempts for a .293 attack percentage.  Vick added 14 kills.  Abbey Cvelbar finished with 55 assists and Dena Ott added a match-high 34 digs.
 
Abby Saalfrank posted 24 kills for the Panthers.  Chelsea Lee finished with 12 kills and Allie Hueston had 11 kills.
 
Both teams had 68 kills and both had 87 digs.  Eastern Illinois had twice as many blocks, 8-4.