MARTIN, Tenn. – Things started off well for the University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team this evening but it would soon fall victim to a raucous Southern Illinois rally in a 3-2 setback (25-22, 25-21, 23-25, 24-25, 9-15) at Skyhawk Fieldhouse.
UT Martin received superb individual contributions from several players tonight, led by a career-high 33 digs out of senior libero Dylan Mott (eclipsing her previous best of 31 scoops against Lindenwood on Oct. 21, 2022) and a near triple-double from redshirt sophomore setter Katie Cruise (career-high nine kills, 38 assists, 14 digs). Cruise also added a team-best .364 hitting percentage (just one miscue on 22 swings), a season-best three service aces and two blocks.
Freshman sensation Kylie Surratt managed the second double-double of her budding collegiate career, compiling career-bests of 16 kills and 18 digs. Jenna Vallée reached double figures in the kill column for the third time in 2024 with a season-high 14 kills while Addy Vaughn managed a career-high five blocks at the net for the Skyhawks (2-5), who had five opportunities at match point in the fourth set but couldn’t close out the win.
The UT Martin offense was in full throttle in the first set, hitting at a .424 clip with 16 kills and just two errors in 33 attacks. The Skyhawks used a 7-0 run midway through the set to take an advantage and never look back as Cruise had a pair of service aces and four assists during that surge. Vallée had five kills in seven attempts (.714 attack percentage) while Mott tallied seven digs in the opening stanza.
The Salukis (5-2) scored five of the first seven points in the second set but UT Martin responded with an 11-4 run. The Skyhawks led by as many as nine points (24-15) before six unanswered from Southern Illinois made things tight at the end. However, Vaughn’s team-best fifth kill in the set was the clincher and gave UT Martin a 2-0 advantage in the match. Cruise (three kills, eight assists, four digs) and Mott (nine digs) also performed well for the Skyhawks in Set 2.
After falling into an 11-5 hole to begin the third set, UT Martin clawed all the way back to ensure a close finish. The Salukis rattled off four straight points to go on top by a 21-15 margin but three consecutive kills from Vallée later pulled the Skyhawks within a point at 24-23. Southern Illinois then converted its fifth shot at set point to extend the match. Mott and Surratt shared the team lead with six digs apiece in the middle stanza.
UT Martin seemingly led for nearly the entirety of the fourth set, extending its advantage all the way out to eight points as late as 21-13. The Salukis responded with six of the next seven points but the Skyhawks answered with back-to-back kills to achieve match point at 24-19. However, Southern Illinois unreeled a 7-0 run from that point forward to force a decisive fifth stanza. Surratt posted six kills and five digs to guide UT Martin in the fourth set.
With momentum on their side, the Salukis pounced for eight of the first 10 points of the fifth stanza. A service ace off the right hand of Kayla Bryant eventually pulled the Skyhawks within striking distance at 12-8 but that would be as close as UT Martin got the rest of the way.
The Skyhawks conclude nonconference play this weekend when they head to the Mizzou Invitational. UT Martin will collide against tournament host Missouri on Friday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. before taking on Kansas City on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 4 p.m.
