MARTIN, Tenn. – The first two sets of tonight’s University of Tennessee at Martin and Western Illinois volleyball match went back-and-forth but the visiting Leathernecks handed the Skyhawks a 3-0 setback (23-25, 26-28, 15-25) in Ohio Valley Conference action.
A total of 16 ties and five lead changes took place in the opening two sets as both sides battled to establish momentum. UT Martin led by as many as seven points and was ahead 21-17 in the first stanza before Western Illinois (6-11, 5-2 OVC) ended on an 8-2 run. The Skyhawks battled back from a six-point deficit in the second set to achieve set point on two separate occasions but the Leathernecks closed out the stanza with four of the final five points to take a 2-0 lead. Western Illinois scored 11 unanswered points midway through the third set as UT Martin could not overcome that deficit to extend the match.
Olivia Saunders and Halle Everett shared the team lead in kills with nine apiece this evening for the Skyhawks, who are now 4-14 overall with a 2-6 mark in league play. Haeleigh Paulino rattled off 21 assists to go along with seven digs while Kayla Bryant had a match-high two service aces and 12 digs for UT Martin.
Kayla Carrell managed a team-best 14 digs out of the libero spot while Dylan Mott came away with 12 digs and a career-best four kills for the Skyhawks, who also saw five different players get a hand in on blocks tonight.
UT Martin will go for a weekend split tomorrow when these two teams tangle at 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
