By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team took part in the Stacheville Challenge this weekend, falling by 3-0 margins to ETSU (19-25, 18-25, 13-25) this Friday morning before an afternoon setback to North Dakota State (19-25, 11-25, 21-25).
A total of 15 different Skyhawks saw playing time as Kambree Lucas’ 14 kills (2.33 per set) led UT Martin offensively. Haeleigh Paulino led the Skyhawks in assists (22), digs (16) and service aces (three) while Mia Saenz and Angel Baylark each posted a team-best four blocks.
ETSU
Paulino recorded her third double-double of the season (11 assists, 10 digs) but the Skyhawks could not find a rhythm in the day’s first match.
Lucas opened the match with three kills in UT Martin’s first five points but a 9-1 Buccaneer run resulted in a 15-7 deficit. The Skyhawk offense displayed their versatility as six different players (Logan Wallick, Karen Scanlon, Saenz, Lucas, Addy Vaughn, Baylark) teamed up for kills during an 11-6 surge, shaving their deficit to just three points at 21-18. However, ETSU recovered to score four of the final five points of the set to go ahead by a 1-0 margin. Lucas powered through for five kills on a .333 hitting percentage while Paulino had six digs in the opening stanza.
The UT Martin duo of Wallick and Paulino each delivered early kills in the second set before Scanlon and Baylark joined in for kills to keep the Skyhawks within striking distance at 11-8. The Buccaneers scored six of the next eight points but UT Martin responded with a 4-0 run which included rally killers from Lucas and Vaughn. Moments later, a block assist from Baylark and Wallick again kept the Skyhawks within three points (20-17) but ETSU reeled off five of the last six points in the set, claiming a 2-0 lead in the process. Dylan Mott (five) and Kayla Carrell (four) combined for nine of UT Martin’s 13 digs in the set.
The Skyhawks could not contain the Buccaneer offense in the third stanza as ETSU hit .517 with one error in the final set. Paulino started the third set with back-to-back service aces before Scanlon came through for two straight kills to knot the score at 5-all. The Buccaneers scored the next six points as part of a 13-2 run. UT Martin managed kills from five different players (Vaughn, Saenz, Audrey Haworth, Scanlon, Baylark) the rest of the way but it wasn’t enough to force a fourth set. Scanlon had three kills on a .400 hitting percentage in the final ser for the Skyhawks.
North Dakota State
Lucas narrowly missed out on her first career double-double – snagging team-highs of eight kills and nine digs – but the Bison turned out to be too much for UT Martin.
The Skyhawks hit .212 during the first set but could not overcome an early deficit. Following a Paulino service ace that started the match, North Dakota State scored five unanswered points and eventually took a 12-4 advantage despite a pair of kills from Vaughn. Lucas struck for a pair of kills before a Saenz service ace gave UT Martin a bit of momentum. The Skyhawks went on an 8-2 run late – highlighted by two kills apiece out of Baylark and Lucas – but the Bison took the first set. Lucas had four kills in the opening set while Baylark collected three kills in four swings.
UT Martin’s first two points of the second set came via Saenz kills before solo blocks from both Olivia O’Keefe and Baylark kept things tight early. The Skyhawks’ third solo block of the set – this time by Scanlon – trimmed UT Martin’s deficit to 8-7 but North Dakota State accounted for 17 of the final 21 points, including a crucial 7-0 run that essentially put the score out of reach for the Skyhawks, who hit -.067 (five kills against seven errors) during the set.
UT Martin showed some fight in the third set, which alone featured 14 tie scores and nine changes. Kills from four separate Skyhawks (O’Keefe, Lucas, Saenz and Haworth) plus a service ace from Saenz provided UT Martin with an early advantage. The Bison briefly took a lead but not before kills from Baylark and Haworth put the finishing touches on a 4-1 run and gave the Skyhawks a 17-15 edge. Unfortunately, North Dakota State ended the match on a 10-4 run, including the last three points after a Saenz kill made it a one-point match at 22-21. Lucas topped UT Martin in both kills (three) and digs (six) in the third stanza.
The nonconference portion of the University of Tennessee at Martin’s 2022 volleyball schedule concluded Saturday as the Skyhawks were defeated in three sets (17-25, 19-25, 16-25) by Austin Peay.
Logan Wallick led UT Martin in kills for the third time this season as the graduate from Waddell, Ariz. collected nine kills on a .250 hitting percentage. Kambree Lucas and Angel Baylark followed closely behind with seven kills apiece while Haeleigh Paulino handed out 22 assists. Dylan Mott (eight digs) and Baylark (four blocks – three solo) guided the Skyhawks defensively this afternoon.
Following the match, Baylark was named to the Stacheville Challenge all-tournament squad. The sophomore middle blocker out of Burlington, Iowa tallied 15 kills and eight blocks in three matches, bringing home her second all-tournament honor of her debut season at UT Martin (also winning accolades at the Skyhawk Invitational on Sept. 2-3).
The Governors began the match with six straight points before a kill from Mia Saenz got UT Martin on the scoreboard. Soon thereafter, Lucas went through a hot stretch where the sophomore from Brazil, Ind. piled up three kills in the span of four Skyhawk points to help spur a comeback. Saenz delivered a kill that capped off a 7-2 UT Martin run and whittled the Skyhawk deficit to 17-15. However, Austin Peay ended the set with eight of the final 10 points to go on top by a 1-0 margin. Lucas was responsible for a team-high four kills while Paulino distributed assists on 10 of UT Martin’s 11 kills.
The Skyhawks raced out to a 4-2 lead in the second set as Mott (service ace) and Wallick (kill) each helped UT Martin get off to a good start. After the Governors evened the score at 6-all, Baylark swatted away back-to-back solo blocks to ignite a 5-1 surge that resulted in a 12-8 Skyhawk advantage. Austin Peay used a 9-1 run to go back on top but UT Martin wasn’t finished, trimming a six-point deficit to four after a block assist out of Wallick and Saenz. The Governors responded with two straight points to claim the second set and a 2-0 lead in the match. Wallick had five of the Skyhawks’ 11 kills in the middle stanza.
In the third set, UT Martin accounted for its best attack percentage (.259) of the day but it was no match for Austin Peay (.567 hitting percentage with 19 kills in 30 swings). Wallick slammed down yet another kill on the opening possession of the set but the Governors scored six of the next seven points. Baylark caught fire with three kills over a four-point stretch before back-to-back kills from Wallick. The Skyhawks began to build some momentum as a Saenz service ace willed UT Martin within a single point at 13-12. From that point forward, Austin Peay scored 12 of the last 16 points to end the match. The Skyhawk trio of Wallick, Baylark and Audrey Haworth led the way with three kills apiece for UT Martin in the final set.
The Skyhawks return home to open Ohio Valley Conference play, hosting in-state foe Tennessee State at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information