Box Score

RICHMOND, KY. – The Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team fell in five sets to Tennessee Tech University Friday night in Cookeville.
 
The Colonels lost 26-24, 16-25, 18-25, 25-17 and 7-15.
 
Abby Noll posted a team-best 14 kills and 13 digs. Jovana Bulatovic chipped in eight kills. Kaylin Johnson posted seven kills and Mikayla Logan had six of her own.  
 
The Colonels used a quick start in the opening stanza taking a 7-1 lead after a Golden Eagle error. Tech responded with a 6-0 run of its own to tie the set at 7-7 after back-to-back service aces by Ashley Hand. Tennessee Tech jumped out to a 16-13 lead after a kill by Rachel Thomas, but Eastern came back. After taking a 19-16 lead, the Colonels used a 3-0 to tie the opening set at 19-19. EKU scored the last three points of the set, all by kills to take the opening set 26-24.
 
In set two, the two teams traded points to start the set and were tied 6-6 after an attack error by the Golden Eagles. TTU used a 10-1 run midway through the set to take a 16-8 lead and not look back. Tech took the set 25-16 to tie the match at 1-1.
 
Tech started the third stanza on an 8-1 run, capped off by an EKU error. The Colonels did not go down without a fight though. After trailing by as many as nine points, Eastern cut the Golden Eagles lead to two, 17-15 after a kill by Katelynn Caserma-Kloeble. An attack error by TTU cut its lead to 19-18, but the Golden Eagles scored the last six points of the set to take a 2-1 lead.
 
In set four, the two teams traded points back-and-forth to start the set. After falling behind 10-9, Eastern used a 3-0 run after an attack error by TTU to take a 12-10 lead and the lead for good. Eastern used a 10-2 run after a pair of aces by Dena Tekavec to take a commanding 22-14 lead. Eastern tied the match after taking the set 25-17.
 
In set five, Tennessee Tech started on a 9-0 run and the Colonels could not overcome it. Eastern kept chipping away but could never get closer than six points and fell 15-7.
 
Ali Verzani led the way offensively for the Golden Eagles posting a match-best 16 kills and 15 digs. Three Golden Eagles posted double-digit kills.
 
Eastern returns to the court Wednesday at in-state rival Morehead State. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.