MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team received double-doubles from Lynsey Hazelwood and Emily Keaton on the way to a 3-1 victory over Alabama A&M (22-25, 25-11, 25-14, 25-16) at Skyhawk Fieldhouse.The Skyhawk offense shook off a slow start to set season-highs in kills (57), points (79.0), attack percentage (.288), assists (53) and service aces (14). As a result, UT Martin improved to 4-9 and won its third match in its last four tries.
Hazelwood (.394 attack percentage) and Keaton (.412) each recorded 17 kills, which was a career-high for Hazelwood and season-best for Keaton. Hazelwood also reeled off seven service aces, which was just one shy of the single-match program record. Dallas Zimmerman added nine kills against only one error in 19 attempts (.421 attack percentage) while Brandy Dennis handed out a career-high 39 assists to lead UT Martin offensively.
Along with Keaton (12 digs) and Hazelwood (10), Kasey Elswick and Chelsea Bowles reached double-figures in digs with 19 and 11, respectively. Shelby Hoskins led the way with 2.5 blocks this evening for the Skyhawk defense.
UT Martin fell behind 5-1 and 7-2 in the first set but rallied to take an 8-7 lead thanks to five straight kills and a Hazelwood ace. Alabama A&M retook the lead and would soon go on a 5-0 run to lead 17-12. The Skyhawks would use a late 4-0 run to creep within two at 24-22 before the Bulldogs clinched the set.
Despite the first set loss, Keaton (seven kills) and Hazelwood (six) showed out, pacing a Skyhawk offense that registered 18 kills and hit .245 in 49 attempts.
After the second set began with three ties, the Skyhawks accounted for eight straight points to go on top 11-3. Alabama A&M got within six points before another lengthy run put the set away for UT Martin. This time Dennis keyed the run, as she recorded back-to-back service aces as part of a 7-0 run that made the score 20-7. From that point on, Zimmerman and Hoskins each tallied two kills apiece to end the set strong.
UT Martin hit .344 in the second set, led by four kills apiece by Keaton and Hoskins.
The Skyhawks set the tone in the third set, taking an early 3-0 advantage. UT Martin’s lead ballooned to 8-2 but the Bulldogs would slice their deficit to four at 9-5. Back-to-back kills by Hazelwood ignited a 4-0 run that made the score 17-9. Alabama A&M got within five at 18-13 but the Skyhawks reeled off six straight points to take a 24-13 advantage. A Keaton kill closed out the set for UT Martin.
Hazelwood accounted for five of UT Martin’s 11 kills in the third set.
Just as they did in the third set, the Skyhawks never trailed in the fourth and final set. An assisted block by Hazelwood and Hoskins made the score 3-1 early on, and a Hazelwood kill boosted UT Martin’s lead out to 6-2. After Alabama A&M cut the score to 9-5, kills by Dennis and Zimmerman as well as a pair of aces by Hoskins capped off a 4-0 run to give the Skyhawks a 13-5 advantage. Back-to-back kills by Keaton and a Bulldog ball handling error resulted in UT Martin’s first double-digit lead of the set (16-6), and the Skyhawks would eventually open up a 13-point lead at 23-10. Keaton kills represented the last two points for UT Martin in the set.
Keaton (five kills), Hazelwood (four kills), Dennis (13 assists) and Elswick (seven digs) led the Skyhawks to victory in the fourth set.
The Skyhawks open Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend, hitting the road for matchups at SIU Edwardsville (Friday, Sept. 21) and Eastern Illinois (Saturday, Sept. 22).