The Eastern volleyball team split its

second to last weekend of the season by sweeping Tennessee Tech and

then losing to Jacksonville State in a five set heartbreaker.

This moves the Panthers to 10-20

overall and 7-12 in Ohio Valley Conference action.

In Friday’s win against Tennessee

Tech, junior Emily Franklin nailed 20 kills and 11 digs to record

her fourth career kill-dig double-double.

Fellow junior Alison Berens had eight

kills and three digs while sophomore Reynae Hutchinson had six

kills and six digs.

With the win, the Panthers now own a

22-14 all-time series lead over Tennessee Tech while also sweeping

them in both regular season match-ups for the first time in the

last 36 encounters.

In the hard fought victory, the match

featured 25 ties and 14 lead changes as nearly every other set when

point for point between both teams (25-21, 27-25, 25-19).

However, the momentum from Friday’s

game could not be carried over to Saturday’s game. The Panthers

went set-for-set against Jacksonville State until the Gamecocks

pulled ahead in the fifth and final set to win the match.

The loss knocks the Panthers out of

post season OVC tournament consideration. It also splits the

Panthers’ season record at a match apiece.

Franklin earned 24 kills and 15 digs

as she recorded consecutive kill-dig double-doubles for the

weekend.

Hutchinson had 14 kills and 11 digs

with her 16th career kill-dig double-double and her 13th this

season.

The Panthers had more offense in the

two-hour-long loss on Saturday than they did on Friday.

Eastern head coach Kate Price is proud

of what her team has accomplished and is looking forward to

bringing home a victory in their final 2011 regular season

match.

“It is unfortunate to not be able to

play in the post season,” Price said. “But we still have one match

left and it would be good for the team to go out with a win.”

Eastern will honor two graduating

seniors, Chrissie Albers and Brittany Wallace when the Panthers

complete their season Saturday, when they host OVC foe Tennessee

Martin. 

Lenny Arquilla can be reached at

581-7944 or [email protected]