Eastern Washington University Athletics

BOZEMAN, Mont. — The Eagles (6-8, 2-2) fought through a challenging match to defeat the Bobcats (5-11, 3-2) in five sets, finishing with scores of 25-27, 25-23, 25-22, 18-25, and 15-13.
 
Bri Gunderson shined brightly for the Eagles, delivering a stellar performance with 12 blocks, 20 kills, and hitting an impressive .531. Alyssa Radke, Sadie Bacon, Kalista Lukovich, and Quincy Moran each contributed double-digit kills, while Lukovich and Jannie Blake achieved double-doubles, showcasing a well-rounded offensive attack.
 
The match kicked off with the Bobcats taking an early 6-1 lead, prompting the Eagles to call a timeout. Coming out of the break, Gunderson recorded her first kill, breaking the momentum of Montana State. The Eagles began to chip away at the lead, pulling within three points. With a fierce determination, Eastern tied it at 21-21 following a kill from Moran. However, after a tense battle, Montana State narrowly edged out the Eagles, taking the first set 27-25.
 
In the second set, the Eagles finally took their first lead at 4-3. The Bobcats responded with a 4-0 run to regain the upper hand, but Eastern wouldn't be denied. They tied it up at 8-8, thanks to a service ace from Kate Hatch and a Bobcat error. After a media timeout, Eastern maintained their momentum, with Radke executing a critical block that propelled the Eagles to an 18-14 lead, forcing Montana State to call a timeout. Despite a late surge from the Bobcats, Eastern held firm and finished the set 25-23 on a decisive kill from Radke.
 
The third set started with a stuff block from Tanai Jenkins and Bacon, giving Eastern an early edge. The Eagles built a 15-14 lead before the Bobcats surged ahead, forcing Eastern to call a timeout at 18-15. After regrouping, the Eagles launched a powerful 7-0 run, highlighted by three blocks from Gunderson. They closed out the set with a final kill from Gunderson, securing it 25-22.
 
The fourth set began with both teams trading points, but Montana State gained control with a decisive 9-2 run, taking a commanding 16-9 lead. Eastern struggled to find their footing and ultimately fell 25-18, sending the match to a decisive fifth set.
 
In the final set, Gunderson struck first for the Eagles, followed by a kill from Radke to take a quick 2-0 lead. Eastern extended their advantage to 6-2, but the Bobcats battled back, narrowing the gap to 11-10, prompting Eastern to call a timeout. After the break, Gunderson collected two crucial points that forced Montana State to use their final timeout. The Eagles fought hard, finishing strong to take the set 15-13 and the match 3-2.
 
Up Next
The Eagles will face off against rival Montana on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m., in Missoula, Mont.
 
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.

FOLLOW THE EAGLES
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

Follow the Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) on X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky and TikTok for all the latest news around the league and use the hashtag #ExperienceElevated.
  Read Full Article