Tech battles, but Morehead State draws first OVC victories
LOUISVILLE, Tenn. – MK Roberts made the best of her Senior Day outing on Thursday as the Tennessee Tech beach volleyball team opened Ohio Valley Conference play against Morehead State at K2 Volleyball. Roberts, along with Vivian RoBards at the No. 1-spot, fought for every point as the duo fell 21-15 in the first set, then overcame Morehead’s top duo of M.E. Hargan and Bella Marita 22-20 in the second to force the tiebreaker. The Golden Eagle leaders claimed the 15-13 victory in the extra session to claim Tech’s lone point in the Thursday matches.
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
LOUISVILLE, Tenn. – MK Roberts made the best of her Senior Day outing on Thursday as the Tennessee Tech beach volleyball team opened Ohio Valley Conference play against Morehead State at K2 Volleyball.
Roberts, along with Vivian RoBards at the No. 1-spot, fought for every point as the duo fell 21-15 in the first set, then overcame Morehead's top duo of M.E. Hargan and Bella Marita 22-20 in the second to force the tiebreaker. The Golden Eagle leaders claimed the 15-13 victory in the extra session to claim Tech's lone point in the Thursday matches.
Morehead State won the first match 4-1, then swept the second match 5-0.
The Golden Eagles fall to 2-13 on the season, 0-2 in the OVC, while Morehead State improves to 4-9 overall, 2-0 in the league. Tech returns to conference play next Friday and Saturday as they head to Chattanooga to compete in the first of two OVC Play Day events to take on the host Mocs, Lindenwood, Eastern Illinois and UT Martin.
Tech did win the two exhibition pairings as Zoe Mish and Maggie Kamp topped Logan Smith after falling 23-25 in the first set, winning 21-18 and 15-10 to claim the non-scoring win in the first match. The second pairing saw Mish and Kamp defeat Tinsley Brown and Cady Hatch in similar fashion, dropping the first set 21-14, then taking the latter two 23-21 and 15-7.
While Roberts and RoBards won the first battle against Hargan and Marita, the visiting Eagles took the second round, winning the first set 21-13, falling to the Tech pair 18-21 in the second, then won the tiebreaker 15-10.
Kyana Gabriel and Savannah Knepp lost at No. 2 to Sarah Heath and Shea Hefner 21-12 and 21-16 in the early match, then 21-11 and 21-7 in the later meeting. Kaesha Walter and Jordyn Hamlin fought hard against Amelia Nott and Haylee DePonte as the first set went 22-20 before a 21-10 closeout in favor of MSU. The second match saw Walter and Hamlin fall 21-14 in the first set, then closed the gap for a tough 25-23 battle with Morehead taking the point.
Bailey Poppe and Piper Jones at No. 4 against Landyn Snowden and Riley McCloskey ended up as a close contest after falling 21-14 in the first set, then had to force Morehead into extra points before the visiting pair took a 23-21 win in the second. The second pairing wasn't as kind as the Morehead duo won 21-15 and 21-11.
In the No. 5 spot, Audrey Kilgore and Alanah Craig forced Addie Freed and Sydney Sennett into three sets in both matches. While they fell in both, it was a battle as Kilgore and Craig took the first set 21-17, then fell 21-17 and 15-9 in the final two sets. In the second matchup, Kilgore and Craig won 21-15, fell 21-14 and fought to the end with Morehead taking the tiebreaker 16-14.
Photo | Thomas Corhern, TTU Athletics Media Relations
