For just the second time in UTM history, the Skyhawks are 5-1 to begin Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) play after two home victories over Belmont today.
UTM defeated the visiting Bruins in four sets (21-25, 25-10, 25-22, 25-15) in the first match of the day before downing Belmont by a 3-1 margin (21-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-22) in the nightcap. In the process, the Skyhawks are 5-1 to start the OVC season for the first time since the 2002 campaign.
Overall, UTM hit .298 as a team today as Karen Scanlon had 27 combined kills (3.38 per set) in the two matches. Kenzie Hinshaw posted a pair of double-doubles (flirting with a triple-double in the second match) to help guide the Skyhawks offensively.
Scanlon also topped UTM in digs today with 32 scoops (4.0 per set) while also chipping in seven blocks (0.88 per set). Dylan Mott followed closely behind with 31 digs (3.88 per set) and Olivia Lucia turned away 10 blocks (1.25 per set) in the two matches – seven of which came in the second match alone.
The Skyhawks go on the road for their next two matches, heading to Murray State on Sunday, Feb. 28 (6 p.m.) and Monday, March 1 (4 p.m.).
Match 1
The trio of Hinshaw (career-high 10 kills, season-best 38 assists), Scanlon (10 kills, team-high 17 digs) and Addison Conley (career-best 16 kills) paced UT Martin in the early matchup as the team combined for a season-high .344 attack percentage.
The Skyhawks led for most of the first set but the Bruins (0-6) managed a comeback win. UTM tallied kills from four different players (Hinshaw, Lucia, Conley, Logan Wallick) through its first six points on the way to a 13-7 advantage. However, Belmont went on a 13-3 run before back-to-back kills from Conley and Lucia shaved the Skyhawk deficit to 20-18. The margin stayed at two points before the Bruins scored three of the final four points of the stanza. Conley came away with four of UTM’s 12 kills in the opening set.
The second stanza was all Skyhawks as UTM scored the first five and eight of the first nine points as Lucia accumulated a pair of kills early. Belmont got within four points at 12-8 but the Skyhawks took off from there, compiling 13 of the final 15 points of the set. Conley dialed up four kills while Hinshaw and Scanlon provided two kills apiece during the final surge. UTM was on fire offensively in the second set, hitting .565 (14 kills, one error) in only 23 swings during the second set. Scanlon and Mott shored up the defense with six digs apiece.
The Skyhawks received early kills out of Scanlon, Conley and Wallick as they jumped out to an 8-4 advantage. Hinshaw registered kills on two out of three possessions before back-to-back kills out of Lucia and Conley spurred a 4-0 UTM run that resulted in a 19-12 lead. The Bruins responded with four unanswered points and eventually got within two points late (24-22) but Scanlon clinched the set with a kill to give the Skyhawks a 2-1 advantage in the match. Wallick and Hinshaw led UTM with four kills and 10 assists, respectively.
The Skyhawks sided out at 75 percent (12-of-16 opportunities) and hit .419 as a team in the final set. Conley had three kills out of UTM’s first five points before Lauren O’Neill caught fire. The freshman middle blocker from Covington, Ind. slammed down three kills in the span of four points to help the Skyhawks claim a 14-6 advantage. She also contributed an assisted block and a late kill before solo blocks from Addy Vaughn and Scanlon wrapped up the victory. Conley (five) and O’Neill (four) combined for nine kills with no errors in 12 attempts in the fourth set.
Match 2
UTM received double-doubles out of Hinshaw flirted with a triple-double (eight kills, 33 assists, season-high 14 digs) and Scanlon (season-best 17 kills, 15 digs, match-high four service aces) while the freshman duo of Lucia (career-highs of eight kills, seven blocks, five digs) and Baillie Kearns (12 digs, eight assists) nearly captured double-doubles in the Skyhawks’ victory.
Much like the opening match of the day, the Bruins needed a come-from-behind effort to win the first set. Conley and Hinshaw accumulated a pair of early kills apiece as UTM took a 12-8 advantage. Moments later, Belmont reeled off eight unanswered points to complete a 12-2 run and take a 22-17 lead. Jessica Reynolds provided back-to-back kills for the Skyhawks late but it wasn’t enough as the Bruins hit .405 on their way to a 1-0 advantage.
Scanlon notched a kill and a pair of service aces during UTM’s 7-4 surge to begin the second set. However, the true story of the second stanza was the Skyhawk defense as UTM limited Belmont to a -.021 attack percentage (10 kills, 11 errors) in 47 swings. Lucia rose high for four blocks while Mott led all players with seven digs in the second set alone. Hinshaw put the finishing touches on the set with a kill to even the match at 1-1.
The Skyhawks received a boost out of Reynolds in the third stanza as the junior from Chandler, Ariz. dialed up a team-high four kills – including each of the team’s first two rally killers. Despite her strong start, the Bruins led 11-7 but UTM would soon find its rhythm. Masterful serving by Scanlon resulted in back-to-back aces as part of five unanswered points to give the Skyhawks the lead. Belmont got back within one point (19-18) but UTM closed out the stanza on a 6-1 run, keyed by back-to-back Hinshaw kills.
The fourth set featured several runs as five tie scores and three lead changes took place. Scanlon had two kills and a block assist during a 6-0 Skyhawk run which was also UTM’s first six points of the stanza. Soon thereafter, the Bruins scored four consecutive points to briefly take a 12-10 lead but Scanlon was too much for the Belmont. The junior out of Scottsdale, Arizona collected six kills in the span of 12 points down the stretch while Reynolds (back-to-back kills) and Hinshaw (kill off a quick set from Mott) finished the job. Scanlon wound up having nine kills with zero errors in 15 attempts (.600 hitting percentage) in the final set.
