By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – Angel Baylark put together an impressive performance in her University of Tennessee at Martin home debut but the Southern Illinois Salukis spoiled the Skyhawks’ 2022 home volleyball opener with a 3-0 win (25-22, 27-25, 29-27) this evening.
A 5-11 sophomore middle blocker who transferred from Iowa Central Community College, Baylark managed a match-high 14 kills with only one error on 18 attempts for a sizzling .722 hitting percentage. The Burlington, Iowa product also compiled four blocks as she and fellow newcomer Mia Saenz (match-high five blocks) formed an imposing duo at the net.
Dylan Mott equaled a match-high with 13 digs while Karen Scanlon (nine kills, 10 digs) and Haeleigh Paulino (28 assists, nine digs) both narrowly missed out on double-doubles for UT Martin, who is now 2-2 on the young season.
The Skyhawks displayed nice versatility early as five different players (Scanlon, Logan Wallick, Baylark, Kambree Lucas, Addy Vaughn) accounted for the squad’s first five kills of the match. Scanlon soon recorded two consecutive kills to give UT Martin a 12-10 advantage but the visiting Salukis answered with a 13-6 run. Baylark and Mott bookended a 4-1 surge with kills to pull within 24-22 but Southern Illinois sided out on the ensuing serve to claim set point. Baylark and Scanlon each had three kills while Mott’s five scoops guided the Skyhawks in the opening stanza.
UT Martin used a valiant effort late in the second set to threaten the Salukis but Southern Illinois eked out the win to take a 2-0 lead in the match. The Skyhawks trailed by a 13-6 margin but Baylark sparked a run with two kills and a block assist in the span of four UT Martin points. The Salukis led 19-14 at one point but the Skyhawks kept fighting, eventually going on top by a 25-24 margin thanks to a 7-2 run. Lucas was crucial during UT Martin’s surge as the sophomore from Brazil, Ind. came away with three huge kills during that span. On the verge of evening the match at 1-all, Southern Illinois put an end to the Skyhawk momentum by scoring the next three points. Baylark had five kills while Paulino divvied out 10 assists in the middle set.
A service ace from Kayla Carrell made the score 5-1 in favor of UT Martin to begin the third set. The Skyhawks eventually stretched its lead out to 9-4 following a thunderous kill off the right hand of Scanlon. UT Martin’s advantage remained at five points (11-6) before the Salukis scored six unanswered as part of a 15-5 run. The duo of Wallick and Baylark joined forces for six kills over a stretch of eight points as the Skyhawks once again got within set point at 27-26. However, the final stanza played out like the second set as Southern Illinois clawed back to unreel three straight points. Baylark was a perfect 6-for-6 in kill-to-swing ratio while Paulino (10 assists) and Scanlon (six digs) additionally performed well.
UT Martin stays at home for its next three matches as the program is playing host to the four-team, two-day Skyhawk Invitational on Sept. 2-3. UT Martin is matched up against Alabama A&M (12:30 p.m.) and Western Illinois (6 p.m.) on Day 1 of the event before wrapping up the tournament with a 1:30 p.m. bout against Arkansas State on Saturday, Sept. 3.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information