MARTIN, Tenn. – It was a memorable 2024 University of Tennessee at Martin beach volleyball home opener today as the Skyhawks reeled off two wins against in-state rivals today, including their first Ohio Valley Conference test of the spring.
UT Martin downed OVC rival Chattanooga by a 4-1 margin to begin the day before earning a hard-fought 3-2 triumph over Austin Peay in the nightcap. With the wins, the Skyhawks improve to 6-6 overall and 1-0 in the OVC standings.
Six UT Martin players went undefeated on the day as the Skyhawks’ No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5 pairings were on top of their game. Sydney Eckhardt/Dylan Mott (No. 2), Ryan Rednour/Addy Vaughn (No. 3) and Kayla Carrell/Reagan McGee (No. 5 in their season debut as a pair) were all a perfect 2-0 today while UT Martin’s No. 4 tandem of Haeleigh Paulino/Kristin Phillips added a win against the Mocs in their first matchup of the season as a tandem.
The two-time defending OVC champion Skyhawks picked up right where they left off in the first match of the day, pushing their league winning streak out to 10 courtesy of their triumph over Chattanooga. UT Martin won the first four decisions of the match, starting with a 21-11, 21-17 win by Carrell/McGee. Paulino/Phillips followed with a gutsy 21-18, 16-21, 15-8 victory before Rednour/Vaughn delivered the clincher with a 23-21, 21-18 triumph. Eckhardt/Mott finalized a 21-15, 20-22, 15-10 win and the Skyhawks almost came away with a sweep but the No. 1 duo of Olivia O’Keefe/Jenna Vallée narrowly fell by a score of 21-16, 17-21, 15-13.
UT Martin came out hot against Austin Peay, winning each of the first two decisions to set the tone. Carrell/McGee began with a 21-16, 21-13 victory and was followed by Rednour/Vaughn’s 21-18, 21-19 win (their fifth triumph of the season). Paulino/Phillips barely fell in a third-set tiebreaker (17-21, 21-10, 15-13) before Eckhardt/Mott posted the match-clinching point with a 21-15, 21-23, 15-5 triumph – their team-best seventh victory of the 2024 campaign. For the second straight match, O’Keefe and Vallée were locked in a tight battle but fell 21-18, 21-19.
The Skyhawks have a little over a week off before traveling across the state for an OVC Weekend at Chattanooga. UT Martin will face Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech on Friday, March 22 before taking on Lindenwood and Morehead State on Saturday, March 23.
