CHENEY, Wash. — Eastern (8-8, 4-2) completed a remarkable sweep over Idaho State (13-5, 4-2), solidifying their fourth consecutive victory with a 3-0 match win.
Alyssa Radke led the Eagles offensively with 10 kills, while
Bri Gunderson anchored the defense with five blocks.
Kate Hatch and
Jannie Blake combined for 37 assists, with Blake also adding four aces.
"I'm really proud of this team," said Radke. "We were coming in as an underdog against the number one ranked team in the conference, and we showed them you can't really count us out of anything. I'm just super proud of the way we kept fighting."
Head coach
Jon Haruguchi praised the team's effort, saying, "It was a great match. We knew we had to play well from start to finish, and I think we did that the entire evening. It was a really nice team across the net from us and we knew we had to do our very best."
In the first set, after falling behind 2-0, the Eagles quickly regrouped. The Bengals surged ahead with a 6-1 run, taking a 6-3 lead and prompting Eastern to call their first timeout. As the set progressed, the Eagles found their rhythm.
Sadie Bacon served a critical ace to narrow the gap to 21-20, forcing Idaho State to take their first timeout. The momentum shifted as Blake tied the set with her own ace. Radke then delivered a massive kill from the right side, putting the Eagles ahead 23-22. They closed out the set with a powerful block from Radke followed by another ace from Blake, securing the first set 25-22.
The second set started strong for Eastern, with
Quincy Moran opening the scoring with a kill. The Eagles exploded with a 7-1 run, taking an early 12-5 lead and forcing the Bengals to regroup with a timeout. Idaho State responded with a series of points, narrowing the deficit to five before the Eagles regained momentum. However, the Bengals fought back late in the set, tying it at 23-23. The Eagles, showcasing their composure, earned the final two points to take the set 25-23.
The third set began with both teams trading points, but the Eagles managed to establish a 8-4 lead thanks to kills from Radke and
Kalista Lukovich. The Bengals responded, closing the gap to just one point, but Moran's ability to tool the block kept Eastern in control. At the media timeout, the Eagles led 15-12. As the set continued, Eastern stretched their lead to 22-17. They maintained this advantage, ultimately winning the set 25-21 and sealing the match with a decisive 3-0 victory.
Up Next
Eastern will stay home to take on Weber State on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 11 a.m., for its homecoming and alumni match on Reese Court.
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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