BOX SCORE

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team has won two matches straight after downing Southeast Missouri State in straight sets Saturday afternoon at the Houck Field House.
 
The Colonels won by scores of 25-21, 25-23 and 25-22.
 
Eastern Kentucky was up two sets to none going into the third stanza, but quickly found itself on the losing end of a 9-5 score. EKU scored four of the next five points to draw within one, 10-9, but back-to-back attack errors from the Colonels put the Redhawks back up three, 12-9. Middle blocker Kaylin Johnson came up with a putaway to help spark five unanswered points, tilting the set in favor of Eastern, 14-12. The set featured three more ties before Southeast Missouri committed a trio of attack errors to put EKU within two of the win, 23-21. Kills from Johnson and Cassie Knutson concluded the match, 25-22.
 
The squads took turns exchanging points for most of the first set. The Colonels were clinging onto a one point advantage, 14-13, when senior Celina Sanks notched a commanding kill, paving the way for a 9-1 run that ended with another putaway from the Butler, Penn. native, 23-14. SEMO responded with seven unanswered points of its own, 23-21, but a duo of kills from Sanks and Clairissa Hankinson stifled the run, ending the set 25-21.
 
The second frame was similar to the first with the teams going blow-for-blow down the stretch. Again, Eastern created a gap with a 5-1 run at a crucial time to move the score to 19-13. Southeast drew within one, 22-21, but kills from Knutson and Lauren Kolenik helped to seal the set, 25-23.
 
Sanks tied to lead all players with 12 kills, she also poured in 17 digs to contribute her ninth double-double of the season. Kolenik added 11 to the Colonel total for a match second-best.
 
Knutson and Maria Ferragonio were each in double-figures in assists with 15 and 17 respectively.
 
The victory moves Eastern Kentucky to 9-15 (7-3 Ohio Valley Conference) while Southeast Missouri State falls to 8-16 (3-7 OVC).
 
The Colonels return home next weekend to host two conference games against Belmont on Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. and Tennessee State Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. for Senior Day.