RICHMOND, Ky. – At the end of the day the final score didn't represent just how hard the Jacksonville State volleyball team battled in a 3-0 defeat at Eastern Kentucky.
 
JSU's unfortunate season filled with injuries continued over the weekend as the Gamecocks (11-17, 2-8 Ohio Valley Conference) took another big hit. Sophomore setter Jennifer Hart had to leave Friday night's match due to a hand injury. However, with JSU facing limited options, the Davidson, N.C., product toughed it out and was back starting Saturday against the Colonels (7-18, 6-4 OVC).
 
Hart finished the night with 23 assists in a valiant effort. She recorded all but one of JSU's total 24 assists.
 
Filling the role of another injured player, freshman Mandee Eberle was called upon to make her first collegiate start. The outside hitter from Terre Haute, Ind., stepped up in a big way leading the Gamecocks in kills with 10, setting a new career-best. Sophomore Charis Ludtke was just shy of a double-double finishing with nine kills and a team-best 10 digs.  
 
Behind Ludtke, sophomore libero Hannah Kirk had nine digs. Freshman Kira Hahn-Ventrell came within two of her personal best finishing the match with six digs. At the net, sophomore Allyson Zuhlke and freshmen Kim Krutsinger and Mackenzie Rombach battled constantly facing rotations they had little experience running.
 
"We played hard again," said head coach Terry Gamble following Saturday's defeat. "We keep saying that, but we're asking a lot of these young kids. When you listen to the intros and our starters are all freshmen or sophomores, that's tough."
 
"We fought back tonight. If we ball control better we'll be there and give ourselves chances to win. But I can't be upset with our effort."
 
The Gamecocks started slow while adjusting to another new lineup in the opening set. The Colonels reached their largest lead of the frame at 15-4, before JSU settled in and began to fight back. The deficit was cut to five, 21-16, but the Gamecocks fell short of the comeback as EKU took the set, 25-18.
 
EKU picked up where it left off in the first with a strong second set overall. The Colonels hit .270 on their way to a 25-15 set victory.
 
The third set was a different story as the Gamecocks battled point-for-point with EKU throughout the frame. JSU took a 10-9 lead and after falling behind, later tied the set at 14 on a kill by Ludtke. The Colonels regained the lead for a final time at 17-16 and went on to win, 25-21.
 
Jax State steps out of conference for the final time in 2015 with a trip to Alcorn State Tuesday. The Gamecocks then return to Jacksonville to begin a five-game homestand starting next Friday when OVC-leading Murray State visits Pete Mathews Coliseum.