The Eastern volleyball team has won back-to-back matches in the OVC, making them 5-1 in their last six games.

The team is now 5-6 in Ohio Valley Conference play with seven conference matches left.

The Panthers have already eclipsed last seasons win total and they still have seven OVC matches to play.

The team has been led, statistically, by senior outside hitter Alex Zwettler, who has lead all players in kills in the Panthers’ last two matches, with 12 last Friday against Southeast Missouri State, and nine on Tuesday against Tennessee- Martin.

Friday marked Zwettler’s 44th career double-double as a Panther, which leads the team.

The Panthers are currently sitting at sixth place in the OVC. If the conference tournament were to begin right now, the Panthers would be in the tournament.

The Panthers have seven matches remaining in their OVC schedule, so they still have a chance to triple their OVC win total from last season’s 4-13 conference record if they win the rest of their matches. Even if they win only three of their last seven, they will double their conference wins.

Three of the Panthers’ final seven matches this year are at Lantz Arena, leaving four on the road. Only three of their thirteen wins this season came at home, though, they have lost as much as they’ve won in Lantz Arena.

By contrast, the Panthers are 10-8 away from home, between away matches and those at neutral sights.

Around the OVC

In other OVC action this weekend, Jacksonville State beat Eastern Kentucky before losing to Morehead State.

Austin Peay had a good weekend, as they defeated conference opponents Tennessee- Martin and Murray State before losing on Tuesday to conference leader Morehead State.

Murray State beat Tennessee State before falling to Austin Peay and then defeating Southeast Missouri State on Tuesday.

Morehead State, the current OVC leader, won three matches against Tennessee Tech, Jacksonville State, and Austin Peay.

Tennessee-Martin lost to Austin Peay on Friday, beat Tennessee State on Saturday, and lost on Tuesday to the Panthers.

Eastern Kentucky beat Tennessee Tech while losing to Jacksonville State and Tennessee State.

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville swept both Loyola and Valparaiso.

Tennessee State lost to Murray State and Tennessee-Martin before defeating Eastern Kentucky.

Tennessee Tech lost to Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky.

Southeast Missouri State lost both of their matches, facing the Panthers on Friday and Murray State on Tuesday.

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

Current and prospective students wait in line outside the Thomas Hall dining center during campus open house Monday. Visiting students and their families ate lunch free of charge. (Kim Foster

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