MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Radford volleyball team took losses against Cleveland State and Evansville on Friday, the first day of the Morehead State Tournament.
 
RADFORD vs. CLEVELAND STATE RECAP
The Vikings established themselves as tough competition right from the first serve, jumping out to an 11-3 lead in the first set. Radford battled back, using a 12-3 run to get right back into the thick of things, but Cleveland State ended the set on a 10-3 run of its own.
 
After a forgettable second set extended Radford's deficit to 2-0, it finally began to click and the third set was a step in the right direction. The Highlanders came out firing and earned a 9-1 lead in the blink of an eye. The Vikings comeback effort came up short and Radford forced a fourth set.
 
There were eight ties and five lead changes in the fourth set, including an 11-11 deadlock midway through. Hailey Flowers had won three straight points – one off a solo block and two from kills – before The Vikings went on a tear and secured the victory.
 
KEY STATS

• Led by Tytianna Roberts and Laila Roberts with four apiece, the Highlanders rose up for nine blocks as a team, their second-highest output of the season
• In a great sign of improvement on the offensive end, Radford had a season-low 17 attach errors
• Eight different Highlanders tallied at least one kill in the match. Kennedi Johnson led the way with eight kills on a .273 hitting percentage
• Shelby Hernandez posted a team-high 11 digs despite coming off the bench

 
RADFORD vs. EVANSVILLE RECAP
Playing back-to-back matches with just an hour in between may have contributed to a difficult showing for Radford in this contest.
 
The Highlanders looked good to start, gaining a 5-1 advantage right away in the first set. The Aces hit back quickly, however, going on a massive 14-3 that gave them a lead they'd essentially never relinquish for the rest of the evening.
 
The second and third sets came and went, with the Highlanders falling 25-12 and 25-13, respectively. Radford gave it its all, but were overpowered by a hard-hitting Evansville squad that also defeated Morehead State earlier in the day.
 
KEY STATS

• Samantha Reitz led the team with seven kills and a .267 hitting percentage that matched her season-best
• Trinity Burge came close to posting her fourth double-double of the year; she finished with 11 assists and eight digs
• Kenndi Johnson had two service aces, giving her at least one in all five matches played this season

UP NEXT
Radford concludes the Morehead State Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. when it goes head-to-head with the host MSU Eagles. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
FOLLOW RADFORD VOLLEYBALL
For more information on the Radford volleyball team follow @RadfordVB on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Volleyball on Facebook.