By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Kambree Lucas and Olivia O’Keefe from the University of Tennessee at Martin were selected as the Ohio Valley Conference Pair of the Week for the sport of beach volleyball today.
This marks the second straight week that a Skyhawk duo has won this award as Kayla Bryant/Addy Vaughn collected the honors on Feb. 28. Since the inception of the award, a UT Martin pair has won eight times out of a possible 15 chances.
This afternoon’s announcement is the first weekly OVC award for both Lucas (a junior from Brazil, Ind.) and O’Keefe (a junior from Scottsdale, Ariz.), who helped guide the Skyhawks to a 3-1 weekend during a tournament appearance in Ozark, Mo. The duo went 3-1 overall, splitting a pair of matchups out of the No. 1 position while going a perfect 2-0 at No. 2.
Lucas/O’Keefe started their week with a 21-10, 21-19 setback to Eastern Kentucky’s No. 1 team but bounced back with three consecutive victories. They posted a 19-21, 21-16, 15-6 triumph at No. 2 over Missouri State to conclude Friday’s action before making it look easy in a pair of wins on Saturday (21-8, 21-10 at No. 1 against McKendree; 21-14, 21-11 at No. 2 against Southwest Baptist).
On the season, Lucas/O’Keefe are the only UT Martin pair to play in all eight matches alongside each other. They are 6-2 overall with a 4-2 record competing at No. 1 and an unblemished 2-0 mark out of the No. 2 slot in the lineup.
The Skyhawks are off until a road double dual at North Alabama on Wednesday, March 15. The matches are slated to begin at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. in Florence, Ala.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information