The Eastern volleyball team traveled to preseason OVC champion Morehead State last weekend where it lost in back-to-back OVC matches for the first time this season.  

The Panthers and the Eagles are now tied for third place in the OVC with a conference record of 7-4. 

The first match saw the Panthers lose 3-0 despite posting 77 points in their three-set loss, which was the third most points scored ever in a three-set match by the Panthers. There were also 29 ties and 16 lead changes throughout the match. 

In the second set of the first match, the Panthers managed to put up 30 points, losing 32-30, which was their third highest scoring set in program history.  

Despite the first match loss, sophomore outside hitter Kaitlyn Flynn had 24 kills in the loss.

It marked the fourth time this season that she had over 20 kills in a match. It also marked her 11th straight match with double digit kills.  

Junior outside hitter Giovana Larregui Lopez had 10 kills behind Flynn, along with four service aces. It also marked her fifth double digit kill match.  

Lopez is second in the OVC in kills with 190 for the season, averaging 3.58 per set. She is also fifth in the OVC in service aces with 21 for the season. 

Freshman setter Catalina Rochaix and Summerlyn Smith combined for 40 assists while Rochaix had nine digs and Smith had five. 

Rochaix is ninth in the OVC in assists with 409 for the season, averaging 5.84 per set. 

Junior libero Christina Martinez Mundo led the team in the first match with 18 digs. 

In the second match, the Panthers lost 3-1 with Lopez leading the way with 19 kills. 

Freshman outside hitter Lilli Amettis had a team high .435 hitting percentage with 12 kills. 

Amettis is seventh in the OVC in hitting percentage with a .283 for the season. 

Flynn continued her double-digit streak to 12 after she posted 14 kills. Flynn currently leads the OVC with 208 kills, averaging 4.24 per set. 

Freshman setter Sylvia Hasz had a career-high 24 assists to lead the Panthers to go along with her nine digs and two aces. Rochaix was not far behind Hasz as she posted 21 assists. 

Mundo once again had 18 digs during the second match. The blocking duo of Annika Black and Ireland Hieb combined for nine blocks total.  

Mundo is second in the OVC in digs with 395 for the season, averaging 5.49 per set. 

In the NCAA, Mundo ranks 13th in digs per set and sixth place in total digs.  

As a team, the Panthers are 22nd in the NCAA for team digs. In the OVC, the Panthers are second in digs with 1145.  

The Panthers will be back in action against seventh place Tennessee State in a doubleheader this Saturday starting at 11 a.m. 

Autumn Schulz can be reached at 581-2812 or acschulz@eiu.edu