Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Colonels jumped out to a 2-0 lead and then staved off a rally by Liberty to earn a 3-2 win on Saturday at McBrayer Arena.
 
EKU won by scores of 25-23, 25-23, 22-25, 17-25 and 15-9.
 
Sarah Mitchell led Eastern Kentucky (12-8, 3-3 ASUN) with 14 kills and made just four errors in 38 attacks for a .263 hitting percentage.  She also had a team-best 15 digs and added three blocks.  Carson Ledford added 11 kills, five blocks and made only one error in 16 attempts for a .625 hitting percentage.  Chloe Mason and Miya Carmichael combined for 49 assists and four aces.  Among Carmichael's 23 assists was the 500th of her career.
 
Trinity Watts led Liberty (11-7, 4-2 ASUN) with 16 kills and five blocks.
 
In the first set, Eastern Kentucky took a 7-3 lead on a Liberty error and went ahead 11-5 on another error by the Flames.  An ace from Mason put the Colonels in front by seven, 16-9.  Liberty battled back and got within one, 23-22, on a kill by Kate Phillips.  Another Liberty error gave EKU set point at 24-22 and Mason finished it off soon after with a kill.
 
Liberty led 21-20 late in the second set before Eastern Kentucky put on a run, scoring four of the next five.  Ledford's kill gave the Colonels set-point at 24-22.  A kill by Maddy Campbell finished off the set, 25-23, and staked the home team to a 2-0 lead.
 
With the third set tied 16-16, the Flames used a 6-2 run to build a four-point cushion.  EKU closed within two on three occasions but couldn't get any closer.  Liberty avoided the sweep with a 25-22 win.  The visitors scored eight of the first 10 in the fourth set and cruised to a 25-17 win to tie the match 2-2.
 
The Flames carried that momentum into the fifth set, scoring the first three points.  However, the Colonels answered with a 10-1 run to take control of the match.  A kill from Ledford and a Liberty error tied it 4-4.  A kill from Mason and another LU error capped the run and put Eastern Kentucky out in front 10-4.  The Flames never got closer than five the rest of the set.
 
EKU will be back in action on Friday at Jacksonville State.  The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET.