By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin’s bid for its first Ohio Valley Conference volleyball tournament championship since 2002 came up short by the thinnest of margins as the Skyhawks fell 3-2 against Southeast Missouri (25-13, 19-25, 25-22, 22-25, 11-15).
Making its first OVC Championship semifinals appearance since 2011, UT Martin was led once again by Karen Scanlon. The All-OVC first teamer recorded 15 kills and 14 digs for her 12th double-double of the season. Logan Wallick ranked second on the squad with 13 kills while Haeleigh Paulino (24 assists, 13 digs, match-high three service aces) and Addy Vaughn (14 assists) also kept the offense running in a 6-2 system.
Dylan Mott came away with a team-best 18 digs while Kambree Lucas (13 digs) also dialed up double figures in the dig column. The middle blocker duo of Angel Baylark (nine kills, .350 hitting percentage, four blocks) and Mia Saenz (nine kills, team-best five blocks) were threats on both sides of the net this evening.
Things clicked early for the Skyhawks as the host squad nearly doubled up the visitors on the scoreboard in the opening set. Southeast Missouri (17-15) claimed the first point but it was all UT Martin for the duration of the stanza. The Skyhawks managed six straight points as part of a lengthy 12-1 run, which featured two kills apiece from Scanlon and Wallick. Back-to-back kills from Scanlon moments later extended UT Martin’s advantage out to 14-3. The Redhawks eventually got within seven points (20-13) but it was all for naught as the Skyhawks concluded the set with a 5-0 run. Scanlon collected five kills on 10 swings to guide UT Martin initially.
The pair of Scanlon and Wallick combined for the Skyhawks’ first four kills in the second set but Southeast Missouri was able to take a 14-9 advantage midway through. Saenz did her best to help UT Martin erase its deficit – slamming down a pair of kills in the span of three points to make the score 21-18. The Redhawks then accounted for four of the next five points to even the match at 1-all. Mott (team-high six digs) and Scanlon (team-best three kills, five digs) paced the Skyhawks in the second stanza.
UT Martin found immense success from the service line in the third set as four of its first 14 points came off aces. Back-to-back service aces from Paulino helped the Skyhawks take a commanding 15-7 lead, ending an 11-4 run in the process. A kill by Scanlon extended UT Martin’s lead all the way out to 20-10 but Southeast Missouri would not go quietly, making things interesting after an 11-3 run shaved the Skyhawk lead to only two points. Wallick then found a crease for a kill to get UT Martin back on track with a 2-1 advantage in the match. Wallick and Baylark each had three kills for a Skyhawk squad who sided out at 65 percent (15-of-23) in the third stanza.
The Redhawks began the fourth set with a 3-0 run and soon claimed a 15-9 edge. UT Martin fought back with a 7-1 run to even the score at 16-all following a block assist from Baylark and Vaughn. Southeast Missouri answered back with four consecutive points before a Wallick rally killer trimmed the Skyhawk deficit to 20-19. The Redhawks then scored four of the next five points before converting its third try at set point – sending the match into a winner-take-all fifth stanza. Lucas was a versatile defender in the fourth set, scattering a team-high four digs for UT Martin.
Kills from Wallick and Scanlon resulted in a 2-0 lead for the Skyhawks in the fifth set but Southeast Missouri managed the next four points on the way to a 7-4 lead. Kills from Lucas, Baylark and Wallick helped UT Martin nudge the score to a 9-9 tie but the Redhawks were able to score six of the final eight points. Wallick and Scanlon both had three kills in the shortened final set.
The Skyhawks now own a 22-11 overall record and will continue their season as a reward for claiming the OVC regular season championship. UT Martin will take part in the Women’s National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), an NCAA Division I postseason tournament that began in 1989. The Skyhawks will find out their opponent and location next Sunday, Nov. 27 while the first two rounds are slated for Dec. 1-4.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information