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RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky’s volleyball team will conclude its four-match home stand on Thursday and Friday by facing the current Ohio Valley Conference leader Morehead State and a future conference opponent, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
EKU and Morehead State will begin play at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Colonels and SIUE face off at 7 p.m. on Friday.
The Colonels (3-13, 2-5 OVC) staged a spirited comeback in their last match, against Jacksonville State on Saturday. Eastern fell behind 2-0 after losing the first two sets by identical 25-20 scores. After intermission, it was all Eastern Kentucky. EKU won the third set 25-8 and never looked back, winning the match 3-2.
Lindsey Loescher’s 17 kills led the team. The junior added six digs and two aces. Senior Amanda Wilson finished with 15 kills, a .333 attack percentage and four blocks. Sophomore Abby O’Connor posted a match-high 21 digs. Sophomore Kate Hendle added a match-high 33 assists. Freshman Hannah Groudle contributed four blocks.
Loescher leads the team this season with 198 kills (3.30 per set). Wilson has 135 kills (2.25 per set) and a team-best 29 blocks. O’Connor has 251 digs.
Morehead State (16-2, 7-0 OVC) has only two losses all season, falling to Kentucky 3-1 and Florida State, 3-0. The Eagles have won eight straight matches entering Thursday’s contest at McBrayer Arena.
With 218 kills, Ashley Doscher leads four Eagles with 100-plus kills. Kaitlin Craven has 191 kills. Three players have 50-plus blocks, Erin Peak (65), Emma Keough (63) and Holly Evans (56). Two Players, Katelyn Barbour (417) and Kristie Brangers (300) have 300-plus assists. Five Morehead State players have 100-plus digs, led by Kristina Schoo with 318.
Barbour and Doscher have each been named OVC Offensive Player of the Week. Keough and Schoo have each been selected as the OVC Defensive Player of the Week.
Southern Illinois Edwardsville (5-8) is transitioning to Division I from Division II and will be a full OVC member in the future. The Colonels get their first look at the Cougars on Friday. SIUE has wins over UT Martin, Eastern Michigan and Providence. In their last outing, the Cougars lost 3-1 to Indiana State on Tuesday.
Sydney Winslow leads the team with 146 kills. Samantha Schulte has a team-high 36 blocks. Mallory Clements is the team’s primary setter with 425 assists. Four players have 100-plus digs, led by Emily Rahn with 134.