EKU volleyball season ends with ASUN tourney loss

Kennesaw State takes 3-0 victory

FORT MYERS, Fla. (EKU Athletics) – The 2021 season ended for the Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team with a 3-0 loss to Kennesaw State University in the opening round of the ASUN Conference Tournament on Thursday at Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Florida.

KSU won by scores of 25-19, 25-21 and 25-19.

EKU was the No. 3 seed from the ASUN West Division and Kennesaw State was the No. 2 seed from the East Division.

The Colonels grabbed a 6-4 lead in the first set on a kill by Molly Michalak, but Kennesaw State rolled off nine unanswered to take a 13-6 lead.  Mikayla Logan ended the run with a kill, which began an EKU run.  Eastern Kentucky scored five of the next six.  Anna Purichia’s kill capped it and made it 14-11.  A KSU error made it a two-point margin, 16-14, moments later, but that is as close as the Colonels would get.  The Owls scored the next six points to take control on their way to a 25-19 win.

The second set remained close throughout.  A kill by Sarah Mitchell got Eastern Kentucky within three at 13-10.  Four straight by the Colonels late in the set cut it to three again, 24-21, but the Owls secured the set win with a kill.

A 4-0 run in the third set got EKU within one, 15-14.  A kill by Mitchell and two Kennesaw State errors finished off the quick spurt.  However, the Owls answered with a 7-1 run to regain control.

Mikayla Logan led Eastern Kentucky (10-21) with eight kills.  She hit .286 for the match.  Audrey Eurton had 25 assists.  Sydney Schoen had a team-high 10 digs.

Lauren Chastang led all players with 11 kills for Kennesaw State (20-8).  She hit .276 with five aces and six digs.

KSU had 13 more kills, 43-30, and out-hit the Colonels .272 to .130.  EKU had four more digs, 39-35.