By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – Sophomore libero Dylan Mott scooped up a career-best 31 digs as the University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team outlasted Lindenwood by a 3-2 margin (27-25, 24-26, 25-8, 18-25, 15-12) in an Ohio Valley Conference contest at Skyhawk Fieldhouse.
Mott’s 31 digs were three more than her previous career-high of 28, most recently set in the Aug. 26 season opener against Radford. The Hendersonville, Tenn. native also landed a match-high three service aces to help UT Martin improve to 15-9 overall with a 9-2 mark in OVC play following its fourth straight five-set decision.
Logan Wallick topped the Skyhawks in kills for the sixth consecutive match, slamming down a match-high 14 kills. She was joined in double figures in the kill column by Karen Scanlon, who earned her eighth double-double of the 2022 campaign with 12 kills and 15 digs. Addy Vaughn distributed a team-high 21 assists as she and Haeleigh Paulino combined for 11 kills (against just one error), 39 assists and 10 digs.
Joining Mott and Scanlon in double-digit digs was Kambree Lucas (15) and Kayla Carrell (11) as UT Martin was responsible for a season-high 93 scoops. Angel Baylark also accumulated a match-high five blocks for the Skyhawks, who emerged victorious in front of a season-high 437 fans.
Mott’s remarkable evening got off to a blazing start in the opening set as she secured six digs and a pair of service aces. The Lions (7-12, 4-6 OVC) scored three of the first four points before a 9-2 UT Martin run, which included both of Mott’s service aces. A pair of Vaughn kills were sandwiched around a Lucas service ace as the Skyhawks claimed a 20-16 advantage. Lindenwood battled back to even the score at 23-23 before UT Martin successfully converted its third chance at set point with a Lucas kill. Six different Skyhawks had at least two kills in the first set while Mott managed six digs.
Scanlon dialed up back-to-back kills early in the second set as UT Martin led by a score of 5-2. The Lions responded with four consecutive points but two more Scanlon rally killers helped the Skyhawks stay within striking distance, trailing 15-13. Lindenwood posted the next four points but UT Martin didn’t quit, whittling its six-point deficit to a 23-all tie after yet another Scanlon kill. Audrey Haworth added a kill to fend off set point but the Lions eventually pieced together back-to-back points to tie the match at 1-1. Scanlon and Mott paced the Skyhawks with six kills and seven digs, respectively.
The third set was extremely tight until UT Martin unreeled a 16-0 run to close out the stanza. A service ace from Carrell gave the Skyhawks their first lead of the set (3-2) before Lindenwood laid claim to a 6-4 edge. UT Martin then scored 21 of the final 23 points – including a stretch of 16 unanswered points that included nine kills, four points off Lion attack errors, one bad Lindenwood set and one Skyhawk service ace. Wallick was the main attraction during the run as the graduate outside hitter from Waddell, Ariz. compiled five kills on 11 swings. Mott additionally contributed nine of UT Martin’s 20 digs.
The Skyhawks led by as many as three points in the fourth stanza but the Lions extended the match. Five different players (Wallick, Paulino, Mia Saenz, Scanlon, Baylark) were responsible for UT Martin’s first five kills as the Skyhawks led 12-9. However, Lindenwood responded with a 14-3 run to go ahead by a 23-15 margin. UT Martin quickly gained a little momentum courtesy of three straight points but the deficit ended up being too large to overcome. Scanlon had three kills in the fourth set to guide the Skyhawks.
Eight ties and three lead changes were included in the winner-take-all fifth set. The Lions gained the upper hand with the first three points but kills out of Wallick and Vaughn soon knotted the score at 4-all. Saenz ignited a change in momentum as the freshman put away back-to-back kills to help UT Martin go on top by an 8-6 margin. Three consecutive Lindenwood points tilted the score back in favor of the Lions but that would be their final lead of the night. With the score evened up at 12-12, the Skyhawks called a timeout and came right back with two straight kills from Wallick to set up match point. Scanlon then converted a clutch kill to give UT Martin the marathon win. Wallick (four kills) and Mott (six digs) each performed very well in the abbreviated final set.
The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team made short work of its opponent Saturday, sweeping Ohio Valley Conference rival Lindenwood by scores of 25-18, 25-22, 25-18 at Skyhawk Fieldhouse.
Saturday’s victory was No. 16 on the season for UT Martin, clinching the most wins in the eight-year tenure of head coach Jaclynn Wilson. The Skyhawks also improved to 10-2 in league play, marking only the sixth season where the program has won double-digit OVC matches.
Logan Wallick continued her hot streak today, leading UT Martin in kills for the seventh straight outing. The graduate outside hitter out of Waddell, Ariz. registered a match-high 14 kills on a .500 hitting percentage, committing only one attack error in 26 swings.
The Skyhawks hit .301 as a team this afternoon as Karen Scanlon added 10 kills on a .292 attack percentage. Addy Vaughn (team-best 14 assists, five kills) and Haeleigh Paulino (13 assists, match-high four service aces) were also frequent contributors today.
Defensively, Dylan Mott piled up a match-high 14 digs while freshman middle blocker Mia Saenz was an enforcer at the net, swatting away a match-high four blocks.
The UT Martin offense was flawless in the opening set, churning out 14 kills with no errors in 39 attempts (.359 hitting percentage). Scanlon had back-to-back kills before Saenz had a service ace to make the score 5-2 early on. The Lions shaved their deficit to one point (7-6) but the Skyhawks scored seven of the next eight points, fueled by three kills from Wallick. Another Saenz service ace stretched UT Martin’s lead out to 21-13 as the Skyhawks coasted to the finish line. Wallick had five kills while Saenz posted three kills, two service aces and a block assist in the first stanza.
After the lead did not change hands at all in the first set, there were seven ties and three lead changes in the second stanza. Lindenwood claimed a 6-3 advantage before a 7-2 UT Martin surge. Scanlon soon put down three kills in the span of four points as the Skyhawks to help UT Martin extend its lead out to 15-11. The Lions were responsible for nine of the next 11 points and seemed to be on the verge of evening up the match after they took a 22-19 advantage. However, the Skyhawks broke through for six unanswered points, including two kills from Wallick and two service aces out of Paulino. Wallick and Scanlon each had five kills in the second set – combining for 10 of UT Martin’s 12 kills – while Mott scooped up seven digs.
Kristin Phillips gave the Skyhawks a boost to begin the third set, landing a pair of kills in the span of three points as UT Martin took a 7-4 lead. Lindenwood evened the score at 11-11 but the Skyhawks went on another run with 10 of the next 14 points. Vaughn was clutch during that run as the sophomore from St. Henry, Ohio had a hand in five straight points (two kills, two blocks and one assist). The Lions cut into their deficit at 21-18 but UT Martin capped off the sweep after a 4-0 run. Vaughn had four kills in four attempts and a team-high five assists in the final stanza.
The next two Skyhawk contests are on the road as UT Martin travels to OVC foe SIUE for a two-match series on Friday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 29.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information