Boxscore: PDF | HTM
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Playing in the squads' final home match of the season in Lantz Arena, the Eastern Illinois volleyball squad dropped a four-set affair to visiting SIU-Edwardsville (25-15, 25-21, 16-25, 25-22), on senior recognition night.
Shaina Boylan, Lauren Schutte and Jessica Wheeler each enjoyed a pre-match ceremony to honor their years with the volleyball program, while being accompanied by their parents.
Unfortunately, the Panthers were unable to use the high emotions of the evening to their advantage on the court, as the Cougars took an early 2-0 set advantage before EIU was able to win the third set. However, SIUE, who was playing in their season finale, was able to pull out the win in the fourth frame to earn only the second win of the season, improving to 2-27. Eastern fell to 11-19 overall.
EIU was led by juniors Erin Hake and Kelsey Orr, with 10 kills apiece. Orr added 10 digs to notch a double-double.
Sophomore libero Brittany Wallace led all players on the court with 26 digs and Wheeler added 11 ups of her own.
SIUE had three players finish in double-figure kills, led by junior Sydney Winslow's 16 put-aways, while freshman Kelsey Mosher and junior Karie Downing chipped in 16 and 11 kills, respectively. Downing's 13 digs helped her earn a duo-duo performance while junior libero Diane Schmidlin also finished with 13 ups. Freshman setter Sammi Minton also tabbed a assist-dig double-double via 44 assists and 12 digs.
Team-wise, the Panthers lost the stat battle for kills (48 to 59), attack percentage (.174 to .216), assists (45 to 50), and aces (four to five), yet led SIUE in digs (70 to 60) while tying the Cougars with seven blocks each.
The match, which was played in front of a spirited crowd of 533, featured 19 ties and only four lead changes as the two squads met for only the third time. The Cougars, who will officially join the Ohio Valley Conference action in 2011, now own a 2-1 all-time series lead, as both teams split their two matchups this year, with each team winning on the road.
On Sunday, the Panthers will be playing a recently rescheduling matchup versus Eastern Kentucky, which was originally supposed to be played last weekend, but was cancelled due to the untimely death of assistant women's basketball coach Jackie Moore. It will be the final match of the year for EIU, while the Colonels' seeding in the upcoming OVC Tournament will ultimately be determined by the outcome of tomorrow's league contest.
The match, which will be considered a home contest for Eastern, will be played on the campus of the University of Evansville down in Evansville, Ind. since the Colonels were unable to make the long trip to Charleston at this point of the season. First serve at UE's Carson Center is set for 3 pm (CST), with the Panthers as the designated home squad.
… for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID
