Story by Keenan Hall
Staff Writer
khall16@murraystate.edu
Murray State volleyball lost to the University of Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks after a nail-biting five sets 25-18, 25-20, 25-14, 26-24 and 15-11.
Racer junior outside hitter Rachel Giustino’s double-double wasn’t enough to earn her team the win. Giustino led the charge by scoring 17 kills and notching 13 digs.
The Racers dropped their first and third sets after UT Martin grabbed early leads, but, the Racers returned the favor in the second and fourth sets.
Murray State started the match by scoring three points. The Skyhawks then sprang to a 10-3 lead.
Despite the Racers’ run that brought the deficit to four, UT Martin’s early scoring set up their set win.
In the second set Murray State gained an early 5-2 lead. The Racers took advantage of their momentum swing and forced their largest lead to nine points. UT Martin attempted to retake the lead, but fell short losing 25-20.
Unlike the first three sets, neither team started with a huge lead. With the score tied at six, Murray State reeled off three-straight points on two attack-errors from the Skyhawks. Murray State middle-blocker Kolby McClelland made a kill and gave the Racers the lead.
Late in the fourth set, UT Martin fought back and tied the score at 24-24. Giustino put Murray State on top, thanks to a kill assisted by sophomore middle-blocker Ashley McBee to win 26-24.
The match needed five sets to decide the winner, but the Skyhawks edged Murray State by four late in the fifth set. After tying the score at 10, the Skyhawks outhit the Racers on a 4-1 scoring run, winning the set 15-11.
McBee led the Racers with 30 assists. Murray State sophomore setter Becca Fernandez grabbed a team-high 24 digs, while senior outside hitter Dacia Brown scored the second-most kills for her team with 12 kills and four blocks.
The loss was the first five-set match of the season for Murray State, who has yet to play a home game.
Continuing its prolonged road trip, the Racers will travel to Southeast Missouri State University. Murray State will play SEMO at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.