With a solid foundation laid and plenty to build on, the Eastern Washington University volleyball team has concluded its second season under head coach Leslie Flores-Cloud.
 
Right from the beginning, the 2019 season had a different feel as the Eagles welcomed 10 newcomers, four of which were true freshman, to join six returners.
 
After a preseason focused on gelling as a new team, the Eagles opened up the 2019 campaign at the Idaho Volleyball Classic where they saw their first win of the season come against Cal Baptist in a five-set fight.
 
The momentum continued into the next week of the season, as Eastern Washington traveled to the Drake Tournament and opened play against Milwaukee where they picked up another five-set victory. Later that weekend, the played Saint Louis and although they fell in four sets, the Eagles served 16 aces which ties for sixth all-time in program history for aces in a four-set match.
 
During the final tournament of the season, the Eagles took on former Big Sky Conference foe North Dakota on their home floor. For the first time since Sept. 16, 2016, the Eagles knocked two sets off of the Fighting Hawks and fell just short of their first-ever victory in Grand Forks, falling in five sets.
 
When conference play arrived, Eastern Washington reached the breakthrough they'd been working for all season during their seventh Big Sky match of the season.
 
On Oct. 17, the Eagles played host to Southern Utah who was at the top of the conference at that point in the season. Eastern Washington knocked off the Thunderbirds in the first set, 25-13, and battled from there. After dropping the next two sets, Eastern Washington cruised along in the final two and topped Southern Utah in five sets for their first conference victory of the season and the first win at Reese Court for Flores-Cloud.
 
Eastern Washington hit the road again on Oct. 24 and traveled to Idaho State, a place where they had not won since 2011 against a team they hadn't beat in nine tries. History would not repeat itself, as the Eagles made quick work and left Pocatello with a three-set victory.
 
More history was made on Nov. 2 at Sacramento State. For only the sixth time, the Eagles beat the Hornets on their own floor in five sets. The win marked Eastern's first over Sacramento State since 2015 and put a stop to a five-match losing skid.
 
Catelyn Linke would fire off six service aces in the win, which is tied for ninth for aces in a single match and fourth for aces in a five-set match.
 
The Eagles continued their success in five-set matches when they hosted Montana and beat the Grizzlies to a snap a four-game losing streak to the foes. Eastern Washington would end the season with a 5-1 record in five set matches.
 
Although Eastern Washington fell short of the ultimate goal of qualifying for the Big Sky Conference tournament, several strides were made along the way.
 
Ana Paula Zandona, a sophomore setter who joined the Eagles this season, garnered 894 assists with 8.13 per set, the most since 2012. Her total also ranked ninth in the Big Sky at the end of the season.
 
Freshman Nicoletta Capizzi totaled the most kills by a freshman since 2015 with 208 and led the Eagles in hitting percentage, swinging .219. She appeared in every match, starting all but one.
 
For the second straight season, MaKenna Davis led the Eagles with 32 service aces, good for .34 per set and seventh in the Big Sky. She now has 72 in her career, just 28 away from cracking the all-time top-ten list in EWU history.
 
There is also a lot to look forward to next year. Linke, who missed most of the preseason before moving into the libero spot permanently, totaled 4.62 digs per set which is the most since 2008 and tied for third all-time in Eastern Washington history for digs per set in a single season. It was also third in the Big Sky at the end of the season.
 
Through three seasons, Linke has totaled 943 digs and will look forward to becoming the ninth player in program history to garner 1,000 career digs. Puaoolelagi Sao looks to aim to join her, as she has 769 career digs heading into her senior season.
 
The Eagles have laid the foundation for years to come. With no seniors on the 2019 roster, all 16 players are set to return in 2020 along with three newcomers.