The Eastern volleyball team opened up Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend, losing both matches to Morehead State on Friday and Eastern Kentucky on Saturday.

The Panthers had their home opener Friday night, when they lost in four sets to Morehead State by scores of 25-12, 22-25, 25-14 and 25-17.

Saturday, the Panthers lost a five-setter to Eastern Kentucky, by scores of 25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 13-25 and 16-14.

These losses drop the Panthers to 7-7 this season as well as putting them in an 0-2 hole to start their OVC schedule.

The team will need to do a better job of executing a game-plan, head coach Kate Price said after Friday’s match.

“We didn’t take care of business on our side of the court, and when you do that you make it hard on yourself to win a match,” Price said.

Price said the Panthers were playing well at times, but that they needed to focus their play throughout the match instead of over short stretches.

“You can’t just push for five or six points at a time,” Price said. “You have to be able to push like that throughout the entire match.”

Freshman outside hitter Reynae Hutchinson, who tallied her first career double-double on Saturday with 26 kills and 13 digs, said the team is great when they play well, but she said the Panthers need to become more consistent.

“I think we just need to come together and play as a team more often than we do,” Hutchinson said. “When everything clicks, it’s great. We just need to start clicking on a more regular basis.”

Junior setter Chrissie Albers said the Panthers need to do a better job of controlling their own side of the court.

“Our biggest obstacle this weekend was ourselves,” Albers said. “We just made mistakes on our side.”

The Panthers will look to improve Tuesday, as they play at home against Murray State.

Albers said this weekend has pumped up the Panthers to prove all their doubters wrong.

“This weekend really put a fire inside of us,” Albers said. “We want to show them what EIU volleyball is all about.”

Hutchinson said when push comes to shove it falls on the players to execute the way they know they can.

“Both coaches have done a fantastic job preparing us and getting us ready,” Hutchinson said. “It all comes down to game night and being out there on the court.”

Albers said the team just needs to focus on taking care of their side of the court.

“If we stay together, be smart and aggressive we should have no trouble playing our best,” Albers said.

The Panthers continue their conference schedule at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Lantz Arena against Murray State.

Brad Kupiec can be reached at 581-7944 or bmkupiec@eiu.edu.

Danny Damiani

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