Volleyball team sees win streak snapped

Sean Hastings, Assistant Sports Editor

The Eastern volleyball team started the season winning three straight matches and only losing one set in that time. Belmont snapped that win streak Saturday afternoon.

Belmont won the match 3-1 (25-13, 19-25, 25-17, 25-19).

Sophomore Allie Hueston led the Panthers with 11 kills, and senior Stephanie Wallace led in digs with 19.

In the first set, the Panthers grabbed the first two points but that would be the last time they had the lead. Belmont led by as much as 12 at one point in the match.

Belmont had a strong game, and the Panthers also made some mistakes that played a role in Belmont getting the win.

“Belmont served very well and it showed in the stat sheet with our 14 reception errors,” Eastern coach Sam Wolinski said. “That was a big factor in them winning was their serve game.”

The Panthers got the win in the second set that was a close battle all the way through.

The Panthers held the rest of the set and jumped out to a six- point lead in the end.

Brown has been consistently getting kills and digs for the Panthers in the first four Ohio Valley Conference games. She finished with seven kills and nine digs in the match.

Set three was close until an attack error by Panthers and two straight kills by Belmont made it 9-5. The Panthers got within three but that was the closest they would get.

Belmont led the fourth set the whole way. Eastern almost got back in it but Belmont proved to be just little too much for the Panthers.

Even with the loss, the Panthers are still tied for second place in the OVC standings with Belmont who have matching 3-1 records. Murray State leads the OVC at 3-0.

Wolinski and the rest of the Panthers know that the Panthers could have been better on Saturday.

“We need to stay true to our style of volleyball and not let the uncontrollables get to us,” Wolinski said. “That’s the lesson we will take from (Saturday).”

The Panthers will be back at it on Friday when they take on OVC leader Murray State in Murray, Ky.

 

Sean Hastings can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]