MARTIN, Tenn. – The duo of Kayla Bryant and Haeleigh Paulino recorded double-doubles today as the University of Tennessee at Martin soared to its fourth straight Ohio Valley Conference volleyball victory, winning a four-set decision (21-25, 29-27, 25-23, 25-19) against SIUE.
Today’s triumph was also the Skyhawks’ seventh consecutive win in the all-time series against the Cougars. UT Martin moved to 6-6 in OVC play and 8-14 overall as a result of today’s action as the match featured 37 ties and 15 lead changes.
The 18-kill, 11-dig performance out of Bryant was her fifth double-double of the 2023 campaign while Paulino (season-best 50 assists, 11 digs) amassed the 10th double-double of her graduate season. Bryant hit an even .400 with only four errors in 35 attempts while Paulino ran an offense that posted a smoldering season-best .268 attack percentage.
Olivia Saunders came away with 13 kills on a .346 hitting percentage plus match-highs of two service aces and five blocks. Kristin Phillips was the third Skyhawk to reach double figures in the kill column (11) as she hit .241 with a season-high four blocks for the second straight match.
UT Martin’s defense was keyed by Kayla Carrell’s 24 digs while Halle Everett swatted away a season-best four blocks.
SIUE (10-11, 4-6 OVC) scored the first five points of the match and although the Skyhawks charged back to even the score at 20-all, the Cougars won the opening set. The trio of Saunders (six kills), Paulino (16 assists) and Carrell (11 digs) each compiled astronomical numbers in the second set as UT Martin evened the match at 1-all. Phillips landed the final two kills of the third set as part of a four-kill, three-block effort to aid the Skyhawks to a 2-1 lead in the match. UT Martin hit .353 in the final stanza as the tandem of Bryant and Jenna Vallée combined for 11 kills and a .688 hitting percentage in 16 swings.
The Skyhawks go on the road next weekend, traveling to OVC foe Morehead State on Oct. 27-28.
