Box Score (PDF)

MURRAY, Ky. – The EKU volleyball team's upset bid of No. 1 seed and back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference regular season champion, Murray State University, fell short in Friday's semifinal match at Racer Arena.
 
The Racers won by scores of 25-13, 25-21, 22-25, and 25-22.
 
Sophomore Cassie Knutson turned in her third straight double-double and second in as many days, finishing with 16 kills and 15 digs for the Colonels. Freshman Rachel Woody finished with 35 assists and 10 digs for her 20th double-double of the season. Junior Celina Sanks added 10 kills and seven digs for EKU.
 
Murray State opened the match on a 10-3 run. However, the Colonels refused to quit and fought off three set points late before the Racers took a 1-0 lead.
 
In the second, the Colonels overcame a six-point Murray lead to take their first lead of the match. Trailing 12-10, Sanks found a vacancy in the Murray defense to pull the Colonels within one. On the ensuing serve, Sanks' accuracy paid dividends as she delivered an ace to knot the score at 12.
 
The Colonels held the lead until a Murray kill evened the score at 20. From there, the Racers outscored EKU 5-1 to go ahead 2-0.
 
EKU never trailed in the third on its way to a 25-22 win which was capped by a Knutson kill to narrow the Murray lead to 2-1.
 
However, the Racers clinched the win in the fourth. Junior Mallory Maxwell got the set started with an ace to put the Colonels up 1-0, but it was the only time EKU would lead in the set.
 
The Colonels finish the season with a 15-15 overall record and a 9-7 mark in league play. EKU earned the No. 5 seed. Eastern upended Belmont University, 3-1, in Thursday's opening round match to advance to the semifinals.
 
EKU's nine OVC titles are the most among conference teams.