By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team’s first Ohio Valley Conference road contest in 17 days ended just like the last one as the Skyhawks outlasted Tennessee State in five sets (26-24, 25-21, 23-25, 19-25, 15-11) at Kean Hall Gymnasium.
UT Martin improved to 13-8 overall with a 7-1 record in OVC play after completing the season sweep over the Tigers. Overall, the Skyhawks have now won eight consecutive decisions over Tennessee State.
The duo of Logan Wallick and Karen Scanlon were lethal for UT Martin this evening, combining for 34 kills on a .325 hitting percentage. The pair of graduates from each posted 17 kills apiece, joining Kambree Lucas (10) in double figures in the kill column. Haeleigh Paulino (double-double of 27 assists and 11 digs) and Addy Vaughn (22 assists) ensured the Skyhawk offense ran smoothly as the squad combined for a .251 attack percentage.
Dylan Mott was responsible for a team-best 20 digs for the Skyhawks while Kayla Carrell managed 11 scoops. Scanlon and Lucas both registered nine digs to narrowly miss double-doubles while Mia Saenz rejected a team-high four blocks.
The opening set was the most competitive of the evening as it included nine tie scores and three lead changes. UT Martin began the match in a 4-1 hole but a pair of Scanlon kills helped the Skyhawks get back in the match. Angel Baylark secured a pair of kills during a 7-1 run which provided UT Martin with a 12-7 advantage. Moments later, the Tigers used a 6-1 run to go back on top at 18-17 but that would be last Tennessee State lead of the set. Scanlon (kill) and Baylark (solo block) broke a 24-24 tie to give the Skyhawks a 1-0 advantage in the match. Wallick and Scanlon each had four kills on eight swings during the first stanza.
UT Martin raced out to a 5-0 lead to start the second set, keyed by kills from Paulino and Saenz. After the Tigers closed to within one point (9-8), the Skyhawks scored eight of the next 11 points, including back-to-back kills from Saenz. UT Martin’s six-point advantage turned into a 20-20 tie but the tandem of Wallick and Scanlon took over – pitching in two kills apiece as part of the Skyhawks’ final five points. Scanlon (five kills), Saenz (four kills, two blocks) and Wallick (four kills) led the way for UT Martin in the second set.
Tennessee State scored the first eight points of the third set but the Skyhawks put up a fight the rest of the way. Baylark came through for three kills and a block assist in a span of six points while Wallick notched three consecutive kills to help UT Martin chip away. Following a 13-6 run, a Vaughn kill evened the score at 22-all. However, the Tigers staved off elimination with three of the last four points of the stanza. Mott collected six of the Skyhawks’ 15 digs while Baylark had team-highs of three kills and two blocks.
The momentum stayed with Tennessee State during the early stages of the fourth set until a 5-0 UT Martin run tilted the score back in favor of the Skyhawks. UT Martin was on top by a 10-6 margin but the Tigers reeled off a 13-5 run, resulting in a 19-15 Skyhawk deficit. Scanlon soon found a crease for a kill, helping UT Martin whittle the Tennessee State lead to two points (20-18). The Tigers then scored five of the final six points of the set to force a decisive fifth set. Mott accounted for five digs in the fourth set alone.
The Skyhawks quickly regrouped, hitting to the tune of .529 as a team (10 kills against only one error in 17 swings) in the abbreviated fifth set. Both sides traded blows early before an 8-3 surge from UT Martin, which featured three kills by Scanlon. That run allowed the Skyhawks to open up a 12-8 lead before back-to-back kills from Wallick and Saenz sealed the victory. Scanlon and Mott shared the team lead with three kills apiece.
UT Martin puts the finishing touches on a three-match road trip later this week when it travels to Charleston, Ill. for a Friday, Oct. 14 doubleheader at Eastern Illinois. Action begins at 11 a.m. while the second outing will start approximately 90 minutes after the conclusion of the first match.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information