LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Eastern Washington University volleyball team opened its 2017 campaign Friday (Aug. 25) as they took on UC Davis in the opening match of the UNLV Invitational. The Eagles jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, but they couldn't keep up their hot start and fell 3-1.
"We showed some really bright spots throughout the match," said head coach Michael King. "In the end, it came down to consistency with our ball control. As we improve in this area and with our blocking, I believe we will be a very good team."
In the first set, the Aggies pulled away with an early 5-0 lead to force an Eastern Washington timeout. Following the break, Ashley Seiler put the Eagles on the board with a kill and a service ace. A block by Kahle Elliot and Jayde Robertsen made it 5-3 UCD. The two teams then exchanged points and EWU found itself down 13-11 before a 4-0 run, highlighted by kills from Elliott, Alexandra Espinosa and Seiler, gave them a 15-13 lead.
With the set tied at 20-20, Jayde Robertsen came down with her first kill as an Eagle to give EWU the lead. The Aggies worked to tie the match back up at 22-22, but two UCD errors and a kill from Espinosa gave Eastern a 25-22 victory in the first set and a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Eagles jumped out to a 5-4 lead in the second set, but the Aggies used a 3-0 run to lead 7-5 early on. Eastern responded with a trio of kills from Seiler and Taylor Larsen to put themselves back on top 11-9 and force a UCD timeout. Another 3-0 run midway through the set gave them a 15-12 advantage. However, with the set tied 17-17, the Aggies went on a 6-1 run to pull ahead 23-18. Eastern could not work its way out of the deficit and fell 25-20 in the second set.
The Aggies' momentum carried into the third set as they had a lead by as many as 10 points, 14-4. The Eagles used a 6-3 run highlighted by two kills from Seiler and a service ace from Regan Harr to cut their deficit to 17-10. UC Davis would not back down as they capitalized on errors from the Eagles to lead 21-10. Facing set point, Chloe Weber struck down a kill but it wouldn't be enough as UCD took set three 25-14 and a 2-1 lead in the match.
Eastern Washington struggled to find its footing in the fourth set as they found themselves in a 10-2 hole early on. Seiler broke up a 6-1 UCD run with a kill, but the Aggies continued to forge forward as they cruised to a 25-11 victory, taking the match 3-1.
Won-Loss Records: The Eagles open their season 0-1 as they move to 17-19 all-time in season openers. UC Davis opens its season and the UNLV Invitational with a 1-0 record.
What it Means: The loss puts Eastern in a must-win situation this evening against Binghamton in order to keep the hopes of leaving Las Vegas with a winning record.
Key to the Match: UC Davis was able to come up with 14 blocks compared to the Eagles' six. The Aggies also committed just 16 errors on 120 attempts (.242) while the Eagles committed 34 on 143 attempts (.042).
Top Performers: Ashley Seiler collected the first double-double of the season as she led the team with 13 kills and totaled 10 digs. She also tacked on two service aces. Jayde Robertsen and Chloe Weber each had three blocks, while Regan Harr dished out 16 assists. Megan LaFond led the team with 12 digs.
Notables: Six players made their EWU debuts this afternoon. Freshman Jayde Robertsen tied for the team lead in blocks, while Emma Dunn ranked second on the team with 14 assists. Alexandra Espinosa added six kills while MaKenna Davis contributed with an ace.
Ashley Seiler collected her ninth career double-double (13k, 10d).
What's Next: The Eagles now turn their attention to their 5 p.m. PT matchup tonight (Aug. 25) against Binghamton. The Bearcats fell to UNLV earlier this morning in straight sets. Eastern Washington wraps up UNLV Invitational competition tomorrow (Aug. 26) at 2 p.m. against the host school.
