BOX SCORE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Great play both offensively and defensively helped guide the Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team back to the win column with a 3-1 victory over Tennessee State to open conference play on Friday night at TSU.
 
EKU won by scores of 25-16, 16-25, 27-25 and 25-14.
 
The squads came into set three even at one set apiece. But, EKU came out of the locker room hot, opening the set on a 7-2 run that began with a kill from Cassie Knutson. After a pair of kills and service aces from Celina Sanks and Ciera Koons the Colonels opened the score, 8-3. EKU never trailed through the set but the Tigers made many attempts to take the lead, tying the score four times, the final being at 25-25. Sanks again came down with a commanding kill, coupled with an attack error from TSU's Samantha Beltran to set the tone for the fourth set and give Eastern Kentucky a 2-1 advantage.
 
EKU made quick work of the Tigers in set four. The teams exchanged points to begin the set with neither team having clear control. Then middle blocker Kaylin Johnson notched a kill, 16-11, to begin a 6-1 Colonel rally that ended with a monster block from Sanks and Koons, 22-12. Tennessee State was able to add two more points to its score, but were unable to fend off EKU's hitters, sealing the set and match 25-14.
 
The team hit a stellar .375 in set four compared to TSU's .032.
 
In set one the Colonels found themselves knotted with the Tigers, 5-5, when junior Knutson put a ball down to spark a 9-2 run that ended with a kill from freshman Lauren Kolenik, moving the score 14-7. The deficit proved to be insurmountable for TSU, allowing the Colonels to take set one, 25-16.
 
The Colonels came into set two down a starter and seemed to have difficulty finding a groove, falling into a 7-1 hole immediately. The trend remained for the set, breathing new life into the Tigers heading into set three.
 
The all-time record between the teams moves to 53-11 in favor of the Colonels.
 
"As you can see score-wise we came out and stayed aggressive," stated Head Coach Lori Duncan. "Without our full starting rotation the resiliency to win, lose, then come back and win and end it in four. It's just resiliency. In this league you have to be able to protect your home court and you have to be able to steal some on the road. It was our first opportunity in conference play and we took it. That was important."
 
Knutson tied to lead all players with 15 kills, coupled with 10 digs for a double-double. Sanks also notched one of her own with 14 kills and 10 digs. Rachel Woody led all players with 42 digs, while junior libero Chloe Rojas led all players with 23 digs. Koons led all players with six blocks.
 
Kolenik tallied a career-high six kills.
 
EKU hit .238 on the night versus Tennessee State's .177.
 
The Colonels also topped the Tigers in four other categories: kills (53-46), assists (49-39), service aces (8-2) and digs (64-59).
 
TSU falls to 4-10 on the season, 0-1 in league action, while EKU improves to 3-12, 1-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
 
Eastern Kentucky will remain in Nashville to take on the Bruins of Belmont tomorrow at 3 p.m.