RICHMOND, Ky. - A needed and deserved week off greets the Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team following one win in three matches last weekend. The team does not play again until October 23 and 24, when it travels to Murray State and Tennessee-Martin, respectively.

"We are going to practice today and tomorrow," said EKU head coach Lori Duncan, "before giving them Saturday and Sunday off. We will then come back and work hard Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and travel to Murray on Thursday."

The Colonels started off last weekend with their first home win of the season. Visiting Middle Tennessee forced Eastern to five games, but in the end, it was the Colonels who came away with the victory, 16-14, 13-15, 15-8, 10-15, 15-11.

"If you didn't know better," said Duncan, "you would have thought we had won the national championship. Our kids played with great intensity and enthusiasm. That is what you wake up for every morning. At this point, winning is not as important as us getting that excited to play."

It was truly an exciting match to watch. EKU sophomore outside hitter Courtney Bowen, from Pittsburgh, PA, paced the Colonels with 21 kills, 19 digs and five block assists, while sophomore outside hitter Mary Lee Keranko, from Washington, PA, added 17 kills, on 60 attempts, 14 digs and two block assists. Another Pittsburgh, PA native, freshman setter Sharon Moreno, set up the offense and contributed 48 assists, two service aces, nine digs and four blocks. Sophomore Kristen Campbell, from Austin, TX, who has seen limited action this season, responded well, posting a career-best two block solos and nine block assists, including the block that won game five for Eastern. Campbell's nine block assists tied the fourth best individual performance ever at EKU, as she paced the Colonels to a third-best ever 17 team blocks in the match. Sophomore outside hitter Sarah Stern, from Hilliard, OH, added nine kills, two service aces, 17 digs and three blocks.

Eastern also posted 90 team digs, which became the third highest total recorded in a match in school history.

The Colonels then dropped matches to Tennessee Tech on Saturday, 6-15, 6-15, 9-15, and then dropped a straight-set match to Cincinnati last Tuesday, 7-15, 7-15, 12-15.

"I saw positives all weekend," said Duncan. "We need to believe we can, and should, win games. The top six teams in the Ohio Valley Conference make the playoffs this season and I want to be one of those six. And I think we can be one of those six."

The Colonels are now 2-16 overall and 2-9 in the OVC with eight matches left in the season. The next home match for EKU will come October 27 when the Colonels will host Morehead State.
 

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