Just one more game.

That is all Eastern needed to defeat Ohio Valley Conference opponent Tennessee Tech on Saturday night at the Student Recreation Center. And it’s all Tennessee Tech needed to spark a defiant comeback against the Panthers.

After winning the first two games, the Panthers lost the next three games to the Golden Eagles. The recent loss now puts Eastern’s losing streak at 11 matches.

Eastern led 12-8 in the fifth game but committed seven attack errors after that to give Tech the match.

These errors are what mostly caused the lost, said Eastern head coach Lori Bennett.

“They aren’t early in games,” Bennett said. “They’re late and at crucial times.”

Eastern committed 38 total errors in the match, but 12 came in the fifth game. Eastern’s hitting percentage in the final game was -.024.

Eastern (5-12, 0-6 OVC) started out well, out-hitting TTU .298 to .212 in the first game and .312 to .114 in the second game.

“We were fantastic offensively the first and second games,” Bennett said. “We outhit them, we outdug them.”

However, the Panther offense did not continue to be as successful in the next three games.

The third game would mark the turnaround of the match. The Golden Eagles (5-12, 2-4) came out aggressive and stayed aggressive throughout, hitting at a .244 rate, while Eastern only hit a .174.

Tennessee Tech head coach John Blair rallied his team together and got them to calm down after Tech lost the first two games.

“I told them the obvious,” Blair said. “I told them to stop giving away the ball. They can’t give away cheap points and that’s what affected the first two games, giving away cheap points.”

Blair felt that what ultimately turned the game around in favor of Tennessee Tech was his team settling down and by playing better defense.

“Our block was in much better position and much better in tempo,” Blair said. “If your block gets out of tempo, then your backfield gets out of tempo and that’s what happened the first two games.”

Tennessee had a total of 12 blocks for the match.

Bennett, though, felt that the match changed in the third game because her team got too excited and committed too many errors.

“We got a little bit anxious and made some errors out there,” she said. “We need to get used to playing at a high level all the way through the match. It’s hard to get that momentum back.”

Eastern lost 30-22 in the third game and 30-25 in the fourth game.

“We went away from the things we were doing well in games one and two and they capitalized on those things,” said Eliza Zwettler, who had a match-high 27 kills.

The fifth game was the first for Eastern since its season-opening win at Indiana State on Aug. 26.

“We really let down. We didn’t come out with the same intensity,” Zwettler said. “Both teams were looking for a win tonight. They wanted it more.”

Eastern will look to end its 11-match losing streak next Friday at Tennessee-Martin.