CHENEY, Wash. — Two Eagle teams are at home this week, while three will compete on the road. Volleyball hosts two Big Sky foes, while Women's Soccer faces two on the road. Women's tennis hosts their home tournament for the team's first competition of the 2023-24 season. Women's golf will wrap up its third tournament of the fall early in the week. Men's tennis begins its slate on the west side of the state.
Volleyball — (Get Tickets (Thursday vs. Portland State: 6 p.m., Saturday vs. Sacramento State: 12 p.m.)
The Eagles return home this week for two conference games. EWU will host Portland State on Thursday (Oct. 5) with first serve at 6 p.m. The team then hosts Sacramento State on Saturday (Oct. 7) at 12 p.m.
This past week, EWU had a two-game road trip, playing Idaho State (Sept. 28) and Weber State (Sept. 30). Eastern started with a 3-1 win over the Bengals, but
dropped the second game, 3-0, to the Wildcats.
On the conference leaderboard, Sage Brustad ranks second with 3.88 kills per set, with 225 total this season. The senior is also fourth in the Big Sky with 0.46 aces per set, while leading with 27 total aces. Brustad posted her ninth double-double of the season against Idaho St. with 16 kills and 10 digs.
Makenna Collins continues to show growth on the back line, ranking fifth in the conference with 3.95 digs per set. Collins had 38 total digs this weekend, getting her second 20-dig game of the season against Weber St. (20). At the net, Bri Gunderson holds a 0.91 blocks per set average to come in at 10th in the Big Sky.
Women's Tennis — Eastern Washington begins its fall schedule at home this week with the Eagle Invitational. The competition runs from Friday, Oct. 6 to Sunday Oct. 8 and is free and open to the public to attend, with matches all day. The Invite will be one of three competitions Eastern will play in the fall.
EWU went 2-6 in the Big Sky and 4-12 overall during the team's spring season. Kenzington Mann was named to the All-Big Sky second team for singles after putting up a 6-2 record in Big Sky matches. She was 8-6 overall in 2023.
Along with Mann, head coach Dustin Hinson returns five players from last year's squad. The team includes 2022 All-Big Sky second team selection, Scout Mathews, along with Isabella Foshee, Jennifer Kida, Leandra Nizetic and Sara Vasic. Hinson brings in two newcomers in Kelly Arends and Anait Arutiunian.
Soccer — The road tests continue this week for the Eagles as they travel for two games. The team will meet Sacramento State on Friday (Oct. 6) with the game starting at 3 p.m. Pacific Time. Eastern goes north next, playing Portland State on Sunday (Oct. 8) with kickoff at 1 p.m.
The Eagles had only one game last week, hosting Montana on Sept. 28. Eastern and the Grizzlies ended in a 1-1 score for the team's first draw of the season.
Corina Froehle scored her second goal of the season, with assists from
Maddie Morgan and
Riley Arribas.
Kiara Matson made three saves against Montana as well.
Morgan remains at the top of the Big Sky leaderboard in goals with 13. The senior leads the conference in shots (36), shots on goal (25) and points (30). Morgan is also tied for third with three assists. She is two goals away from tying the program record for goals in a single season. Froehle has six points this season, with two goals and two assists, recording 12 total shots. In net, Kiara Matson has 21 saves to her name in 398:49 minutes played.
Golf — Eastern Washington has begun its competition at the Pat Lesser Harbottle Invitational in Tacoma, Wash. today. The Eagles play 36 holes today and on18 tomorrow at the Tacoma Country and Golf Club.
Last week, EWU broke the 54-hole program record at the 54 for IX Tournament, hosted by the Big Sky. Eastern shot 881, eight strokes better than the previous record in Saratoga Springs, Utah. True freshman Gabriella Illardi placed 14th in her first tournament in the starting lineup, shooting a 69 in the final round of the tournament. Brooke Mahler placed 19th, shooting a 72 in the second round.
Men's Tennis — EWU will begin its 2023 fall schedule on Thursday (Oct. 5) at the ITA Regionals in Seattle, Wash. The ITA's run through Sunday, Oct. 8, with competition going all day. Eastern will have three competitions in its fall slate.
The Eagles were 4-13 overall last season, going 0-7 in the Big Sky. Head coach Jared Burnham has five players back from last year, while adding two transfers. The returners include Tyler Dalos, Drew Dillon, Caden Kammerer, Erik Sarlvik and Brady Thomas. Arshojot Bhatti and Tyler Waddock join the Eagles from Pennsylvania Western and Sacramento State respectively.
Tickets for the 2023 EWU Football season are now available! Visit goeags.com/tickets or call the EWU Athletics Ticket Office at 509-359-6059 to secure yours today.
New for the 2023-24 season, the EWU Women's Sports Pass gives fans access to over 30 Eagle Athletics events, including volleyball, soccer and women's basketball for only $5 per game! Learn more and get yours today at goeags.com/tickets or call 509-359-6056.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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