For the second time this season, Morehead State volleyball completes a perfect weekend at home, sweeping Southeastern Louisiana to the 2019 Comfort Inn-Vitational. The Eagles (9-3) downed the Lions (5-9) by scores of 25-13, 25-16, and 25-19 to take the match in straight sets.
The victory secures the Eagles their best start at home since also going 6-0 to begin the year at home in 2008. Morehead State's sweeps of both the Eagle Challenge and Comfort Inn-Vitational in 2019 also gives the program its first sweeps of both tournaments in the same year since the Eagle Challenge was added prior to the 2011 season.
Junior outside hitters Olivia Lohmeier and Lauren Rokey led the way for Morehead State as the pair was in lockstep all afternoon. The duo combined for 34 of the Eagles' 51 kills with Lohmeier collecting 18 and Rokey adding 16. Rokey paced the pair by hitting .536 for the match while Lohmeier hit .485.
Also, recording kills for Morehead State were sophomore middle blocker Hannah Keating (seven), redshirt junior right-side hitter Liz Allen (six), sophomore middle blocker Mia Swearingen (two), freshman right-side hitter Peyton Kennedy (one), and freshman setter Bridget Bessler (one). As a team, the Eagles hit a season-best .360.
Making her fifth start of the season, Bessler recorded the third double-double of her career, passing out 42 assists and scooping 11 digs. She tallied 42 of the team's 48 assists, helping the team to its .360 hitting percentage while also contributing 11 of the team's 55 total digs. Bessler also led the Eagles in service aces, landing three of the team's eight combined winners.
Along the backline, sophomores Allison Whitten and Olivia Montelisciani joined Bessler with double-figure dig totals. Whitten led the group with 13 digs while Montelisciani chipped in 10. Redshirt senior Danielle McCarson nearly reached double-digits adding eight digs. Montelisciani and Whitten each contributed two aces while freshman defensive specialist Andrea Grimes add the other.
At the net, Morehead State tallied four total blocks. Swearingen led the Eagles with three total blocks (two assists and one solo), recording at least one solo block in a match for the eighth time this season. Also, recording blocks were Allen (two), Keating (one), and Rokey (one).
After facing four weeks of non-conference competition, Morehead State officially opens Ohio Valley Conference play next Friday. The Eagles host Belmont and Tennessee State next weekend, facing the Bruins at 6 p.m. ET Friday and the Tigers at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Comfort Inn-Vitational All-Tournament Team
MOREHEAD STATE (3)
OH Olivia Lohmeier (MVP)
S Bridget Bessler
OH Lauren Rokey
MARSHALL (2)
L Amber Weber
MB Destiny Leon
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA (1)
OH Caroline Golden
COPPIN STATE (1)
L Ashley Roman
