Undefeated Weekend for UNOH at Freed-Hardeman Invite

HENDERSON, TN - UNOH dropped just three sets all weekend rolling to a 4-0 record over two days at the Freed-Hardman Invitational. The Racers opened with a 3-0 sweep of Fisk before having to battle to top UT-Southern 3-2 on Friday, September 1. UNOH began Saturday with another sweep, this time at the expense of Rust before finishing off 3-1 against host Freed-Hardeman.

UNOH 3 Fisk 0 (25-8, 25-23, 25-12)

The Racers wasted no time in game one jumping out to a 13-5 lead, riding a team hitting percentage of .545, and never looked back. The second set stayed much closer and saw UNOH have to battle back from a 19-16 deficit late in the game. The Racers used a 7-0 run to take a 23-19 lead before the Bulldogs put together their own rally to tie things up at 23. After a UNOH timeout, the Racers finished off the final two points to go up 2-0 in the match. The final game played much like the first with the Racers never trailing and running away 25-12 to complete the sweep.

Logan Thomas continued her hot start to 2023 bagging a season high 18 kills with just three errors on 34 swings for a career high .441 hitting percentage. Thomas finished with 21 points adding six digs and three service aces in the match. Abigail Martin recorded her fourth double-digit kill mark in the last five match finishing with eleven on 22 attacks and three errors (.364). Savanna Reed led the team with 21 assists and Madelyn Hampton earned her first career double-figure assist match with Aubree Ricketts leading the team defensively with 16 digs.

As a team, UNOH hit a season high .326 with with ten service aces and five blocks.

UNOH 3 UT-Southern 2 (25-19, 22-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-7)

UNOH led 7-3 early but the Firehawks were ready for a battle as they pulled the game tight again and tied the things up at 18 late. The Racers finished strong outscoring UT-Southern 7-1 down the stretch with six kills and a service aces highlighting their final stretch. Again UNOH was in control early, but the Firehawks rode an 11-3 run to take the lead. That run continued as UT-Southern took control 21-14 never trailed again taking the game 25-22. The Racers came out hot once more and never trailed in the third game for a comfortable 25-18 win. UT-Southern returned the favor in set four, never trailing to force a game five. UNOH dropped the hammer in the decisive game as they took a 5-5 game on a 10-2 run to finish off the match and pick up their first five-set win of the season. 

Logan Thomas topped her season high from the previous match smashing 19 kills on 49 swings with six errors (.265). Thomas chipped in a service ace, a solo block and a block assist for a season high 21.5 points. Abigail Martin finished with a career high 15 kills with five errors on 39 attacks (.256), two block assists and a service ace for 17 points. Taylor Reust picked up 13 points off nine kills, four block assists and two aces and Aliyah Saylor earned a career high eight kills. Savanna Reed had 33 assists in the match while also hitting .467 with eight kills, both season highs. Defensively, Aubree Ricketts picked up a season high 27 digs. 

UNOH had 85 digs, 66 kills and 58 assists aas a team in the match, all season highs.

UNOH 3 Rust 0 (25-12, 25-8, 25-12)

UNOH had no trouble with Rust to start the day Saturday. The Racers made just eight total attack errors over three sets holding the Bearcats to just nine total kills in the match. Team numbers were spread across the board with all 13 elligble Racers seeing time on the floor. Taylor Reust led the team with eleven points putting down nine kills. Elli Roetgerman, Madelyn Hampton and Aliyah Saylor each finished with six kills in the match. Hampton led the team with twelve assists, her third consective double-digit mark. Aubree Ricketts led with eight digs and Bailey Gregory had six.

UNOH topped their previous season high from the day before, hitting .413 as a team 13 service aces.

UNOH 3 Freed-Hardeman 1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-21)

For the first time all weekend, UNOH fell behind early digging a 6-1 hole to start game one. The closest the Racers would get was three as the Lions took the game 25-22. It was the Racers turn in sets two and three never trailing to go up 2-1 in the match after identical scores of 25-18. The match looked destined for a fifth set as Freed-Hardeman went up 17-10 halfway through the game. After a timeout, UNOH settled in and took control of the game with a 9-2 run to tie the match at 19. Despite using both timeouts, the Lions couldn't stop the bleeding as the Racers continued to roll going 6-2 down the stretch to finish on a 15-4 run to take the match 3-1.

Logan Thomas got back on top for UNOH with twelve kills, nine digs, two aces and a solo block for a team high 15 points. Elli Roetgerman and Abigail Martin both finished with eleven points in the match. Eight came off kills for Roetgerman scoring two aces and a solo block with all eleven off eleven kills for Martin. Savanna Reed finished with 34 assists and 16 digs while Aubree Ricketts led the team with 20 digs of her own.

The Racers went double-figures in service aces for the fourth straight match, and fifth in the last sixth. 

UNOH has now won five of the their last six as they head into conference play. #25 Indiana Tech will visit the Garage on Wednesday, September 6, for the first conference match of the season.