Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team knocked off first-place Murray State Saturday in Richmond. It was the first time the Colonels beat Murray State since 2011, which was also in Richmond in five sets.  
 
The Colonels won 24-26, 25-19, 26-24, 20-25 and 21-19.
 
Abby Noll posted a double-double with her career-best 29 kills and 18 digs to lead the Colonels. It was her ninth double-double on the year. Rachel Woody posted a match-best 54 assists on the game. Katelynn Caserma-Kloeble chipped in 10 kills of her own.  
 
In set five, Eastern jumped out to an early 4-1 lead after an attack error by Murray State. The Racers answered back though, using a 5-0 run after the attack error by Eastern to take a 6-4 lead and forced a Colonel timeout. The two teams would trade points until back-to-back kills by Kaylin Johnson and Noll tied the final set at 9-9. The teams traded punches back-and-forth and the Racers fended off six match points to take the 19-18 lead. However, a kill by Noll and two attack errors by the Racers, allowed the Colonels to close the match on a 3-0 run to secure the win.
 
"It was a great team win!" head coach Johnna Fouch said. "Beating Murray State was huge. They are the reigning OVC Champs, we have not beaten them in eight year, and winning in five sets is a big deal. We played a complete game and did not give up. We fought back when we were down and continued to bounce back. I am so proud of this team."
 
Murray State got off to a quick start to open the match, using a 4-1 run after the Colonel service error. But Eastern stormed back and took a 13-10 lead after an attack error by Murray State. The Racers answered back using a 3-0 run capped off by a Rachel Giustino kill to tie the opening stanza at 13-13. Eastern responded with a 4-1 run of its own to retake the lead 17-14 in set one. After Eastern took a 20-18 lead, the Racers responded with three straight points to take a 21-20 lead after the ace by Becca Fernandez. EKU took the 24-23 lead after the kill by Noll, but MSU scored the final three points of the set to take the opening frame 26-24.
 
The two teams traded points to open the second set, but Murray State took a 10-7 lead after the kill by Rachel Holthaus. The Colonels responded though, using an 8-2 run to take a 16-12 lead that they would never give up. The Racers cut the Colonel lead to one, 20-19, after the kill by Holthaus, but Eastern scored the last five points of the set to take the set 25-19 and tie the match at 1-1.
 
In set three, Murrays State once again used a big start to take a 10-6 lead over the Colonels. Eastern fell down as much as five points two times during the set and trailed 24-21 after an attack error. But EKU flexed its muscles scoring the last five points of the set after a pair of kills by Johnson to take the set 26-24 and take a 2-1 lead.
 
In set four, the roles were reversed and Eastern used a quick start to take a 10-7 lead over the Racers. However, Murray State responded with a 5-1 run to take a 12-11 lead after the kill by Kolby McClelland. MSU continued by scoring seven of the next 11 points to take a 19-15 lead in the set and not look back. The Racers took the fourth set 25-20 to tie the match at 2-2 and set up the fifth set heroics.
 
"I thought we were great around the net." Fouch said. "To have 18 blocks against that team is huge for us."
 
Murray State was led Giustino who posted a team-best 21 kills and 16 digs on the contest. Holthaus chipped in 15 kills of her own. Fernandez posted a team-best 24 digs.  
 
Eastern returns to the court on Thursday when the Colonels hit the road to take on UT Martin. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.