By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
CARBONDALE, Ill. – After nearly breaking through for a pair of victories on Day 1 of the Saluki Bash, the University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team earned its first triumph of the season with a quick 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-14, 25-13) over Alabama A&M at the Banterra Center.
Olivia Saunders led the way for the Skyhawks today, collecting a team-high nine kills on a .500 hitting percentage (just one error in 16 swings). She also swatted away a team-best five blocks at the net, setting a new season-high in that category.
Karen Scanlon followed closely behind with eight kills while tying for the team lead with eight digs. Haeleigh Paulino posted a match-best 21 assists and a career-high four service aces while Baillie Kearns equaled Scanlon with a team-best eight digs.
Making her first start of the season, Olivia Lucia slammed down two kills during UT Martin’s first four points of the contest. A service ace from Kambree Lucas extended the Skyhawk advantage out to 11-8 before the Bulldogs went on a 9-1 run. UT Martin responded right back with 12 unanswered points, including a trio of Paulino service aces. Addison Conley also added a pair of kills during the backend of the surge to help lift the Skyhawks to a 1-0 advantage in the match. Paulino assisted on eight of UT Martin’s dozen kills in the opening stanza.
The Skyhawks never trailed in the second set as four different players (Scanlon, Lucas, Zoe Merriweather, Saunders) were responsible for kills during UT Martin’s first seven points of the second set. Saunders collected two more kills on consecutive Skyhawk points before a Lucas kill made the score 20-11 and forced Alabama A&M to burn a timeout. From that point forward, Merriweather, Saunders, Lucas and Scanlon all muscled up for kills as UT Martin took its second set in a row. Saunders ended up with four kills on only five attempts in the second stanza.
Offensively, the Skyhawks combined for a sizzling .323 hitting percentage in the final set. Conley and Merriweather got things started with kills in UT Martin’s first two points of the stanza. Scanlon followed with three kills in the span of four points for the Skyhawks, the last of which ignited a 10-1 run. Kayla Carrell delivered a service ace to provide UT Martin with a double-digit lead (20-10) before an Addy Vaughn kill completed the sweep for the Skyhawks. Scanlon accounted for team-highs of four kills and five digs for UT Martin in the third set.
The Skyhawks travel to Bowling Green, Ky. next weekend for the Holiday Inn-University Plaza Invitational. UT Martin will square off against Ole Miss (1 p.m.) and Samford (5 p.m.) on Friday, Sept. 10 before taking on tournament host Western Kentucky at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11.
Graphic Courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information