GAME NOTES

CHENEY, Wash. - After a scheduled bye-week following two five-set victories over Montana at home, the Eastern Washington University volleyball team is back in action this weekend. The Eagles head to Sacramento, Calif., to take on Sacramento State on Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7. First serve is set for 5 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, on Pluto TV Ch. 1052.
 
The Eagles are currently 5-6 overall with a 4-6 mark in Big Sky Conference play to rank seventh in standings. If the season were to end today, Eastern Washington would advance to the conference tournament, a feat it is looking to accomplish for the first time since the 2016 season.
 
All four of Eastern's conference wins have come at home in five sets and the Eagles are looking for their first road win of the season, as they are currently 0-4 away from Reese Court. Sacramento State has an unblemished 4-0 record at home in The Nest. The Hornets are just above EWU in the standings, ranking fifth with an identical 5-5 Big Sky and overall record.
 
Eastern Washington is led offensively by Maya McClellan with 2.67 kills per set. McClellan won her first career Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week award on Feb. 23 after her performances against Montana. The redshirt-sophomore set back-to-back career-highs in kills while leading the Eagles, posting 19 and 22, respectively. Over two matches, she totaled 41 kills for 4.10 per set while swinging .386.
 
Freshman Sage Brustad (2.55) and Ashlyn Blotzer (2.11) also lead the Eagles offensively with over two kills per set.
 
On the defensive side, Catelyn Linke ranks second in the Big Sky and leads the team with 4.68 digs per set. She earned the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week honor on Feb. 9 for the first time in her career. Linke has been climbing EWU's record book as she ranks seventh all-time in career digs with 1,163 total and needs just eight more to move into sixth. The senior has posted double-digit digs in all 11 matches this season, including six with 20-or-more.
 
Both Lindsey Russell and Ana Paula Zandona have handled the setting duties for Eastern Washington this season. Russell ranks seventh in the conference with 7.45 assists per set and Zandona follows with 5.75 to rank ninth.
 
As a team, the Eagles swing .181 with 11.1 kills per set. They average 9.9 assists, 1.1 aces and 1.6 blocks per set while ranking fifth in the Big Sky with 14.9 digs per frame. So far this year, Eastern Washington is 4-1 when matches go to five sets, 0-3 in four sets and 1-1 in three set matches.
 
Sacramento State is coming off of two losses at Weber State last week, falling 3-2 and then 3-1, respectively. The Hornets rank second in the Big Sky with 2.53 blocks per set and are fourth in kills with an even 12.00. They also rank in the top-five in digs per set (3^rd, 15.19), assists (3^rd, 11.17) and service aces (4^th, 1.50).
 
Individually, Caty Cordano is right behind Linke with 4.64 digs per set. Four Hornets average over two kills per set, led by freshman Bridgette Smith with 2.97. Macey Hayden has picked up four-straight double-doubles and averages 2.03 kills and 3.03 digs per set. Kalani Hayes in the team leader in blocks per set with 1.29 while also averaging 2.03 kills per set.
 
Eastern Washington trails the all-time series with the Hornets, 18-37 and are 3-7 in the last 10 meetings. However, the Eagles got the final say last season, beating Sacramento State on its own home floor in a 3-2 victory for the first time since 2014 and just the sixth time in program history EWU has won in Sacramento State.
 
The win snapped a six-match losing streak to the Hornets and was the first overall win over Sacramento State since 2015. Catelyn Linke recorded the fourth-most aces in a five-set match with six, and Ana Paula Zandona picked up a double-double with 35 assists and 12 digs. The Nest is a difficult place to play, with the Hornets owning a 40-5 record at home in the last five seasons.
 
After this weekend's matches, Eastern Washington takes to Reese Court one final time when it hosts Idaho on Friday, March 12 and Saturday, March 13. First serve is set for 4:05 p.m. and 2:05 p.m. Pacific time on Pluto TV Ch. 1060.