SPOKANE, Wash. — For the second time this week, Eastern Washington faced off against its rival to the north as they defeated Gonzaga, 3-1; this time at the Bulldogs home tournament.The Eagles fell in their first game of the day against San Diego State, 3-0. EWU completed its non-conference schedule at .500 (6-6) on the season going into Big Sky games next week.
"I think the key for us was refocusing. We needed to make sure that we kept the big picture. I think that's what helped us make that switch from a tough loss earlier today to a nice win this evening," head coach Jon Haruguchi said. "I think that we talked about what we expected to see in certain situations and could we be more disciplined in those situations to come up with a few more plays. The team did a nice job of that tonight."
Eagles vs. Aztecs
Eastern faced another Mountain West foe to start it's Saturday, playing San Diego State. The Aztecs would sweep the Eagles behind a .298 hitting percentage, while Eastern had a .168 percentage for the game.
The first set was close at the beginning, but SDSU would separate as it progressed. After being tied at 11, the Aztecs went on a 5-0 run to separate from the Eagles. SDSU went on to win the set, 25-19, and go up 1-0 in the game.
In the second set, Eastern stepped up its offensive attack, recording 39 total attacks. The team scored 12 kills off them, but had seven errors. Bri Gunderson was the key Eagle, going for five kills in the set. SDSU connected for a .244 attack percentage and won the set 25-19 for a 2-0 lead.
The Aztecs pushed the tempo in the third set, hitting a .412 clip. They would close out Eastern with a 25-14 win in the set and a 3-0 victory in the game. The Eagles were held to a .182 attack percentage.
Gunderson and Kalista Lukovich each had seven kills in the game, while Makenna Collins recorded 13 digs.
Eagles vs. 'Zags
Looking to rebound in the evening, Eastern Washington faced off against Gonzaga for the second time in three days. While it was not a sweep, Eastern earned a 3-1 win over the Bulldogs.
Sage Brustad had a career game, setting personal marks with 26 kills and 20 digs for her eighth double-double of the season. She finished with a .306 hitting percentage and had four total blocks, two solo and two assists.
Haruguchi talked about Brustad's performance, "Every night is a great night for Sage [Brustad] to have a great evening. It's a testament to her being a senior and being in tough situations before, then persevering,"
Eastern started out aggressive, racking up 52 total attacks in the first set. Brustad accounted for 18 and notched seven kills. After leading 24-21, Gonzaga managed to tie and then take the lead over the Eagles. Sadie Bacon then tied the game for the Eagles, followed by a kill from Kalista Lukovich to retake the lead. Bacon would join with Kate Hatch for the block and Eastern pulled off the set win, 27-25, and led the game 1-0.
The Bulldogs looked to even up the game in the second set and the competitive level stepped up. The set featured 14 ties and seven lead changes. Gonzaga would close the set on a 5-2 run that gave them the win, 25-23. Despite the loss, Eastern hit .341 in the set, while the Bulldogs were hitting .297.
Moving to the third set, the Eagles reorganized and clamped down on defense. EWU stifled the Bulldog offense to only a .059 attack percentage. Their offense produced enough with a .242 attack percentage to win the set, 25-19.
Eastern had the momentum and cruised in the fourth set, hitting .296 and dropping in 12 kills. Lukovich led the team with four kills and Brustad added three, while Hatch stepped up with three block assists. The Eagles earned the game win with a 25-15 fourth-set victory.
Bacon set a career-high with eight total blocks in the game including two solo and six assists. Hatch posted her fifth double-double after accounting for 43 assists and 15 digs.
The Eagles had season-bests in total blocks (14.0) and digs (74) against the Bulldogs.
Up Next
Eastern Washington begins conference action next week, opening with the defending champions, Northern Colorado, on Sept. 21 in Greeley, Colo. The Eagles then host Montana on Sept. 23 at Reese Court.
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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