SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Eastern (10-11, 6-5) fell to Sacramento State (14-9, 7-3) in a challenging match, losing 3-1 despite a standout defensive performance. Bri Gunderson was a key player for the Eagles, leading with ten blocks and adding seven kills. Kalista Lukovich topped the offense with 12 kills, while Quincy Moran added nine, providing crucial support.
 
Head coach Jon Haruguchi reflected on the tough weekend, stating, "Really rough weekend road swing for us. I think we have a lot of teachable moments that we need to address so we can be better for the upcoming matches." He emphasized the importance of recognizing their strengths, saying, "We can see those moments where we are very strong as a unit. We just need to hang on to those and stack more of them on top of each other."
 
The match began with a fiercely contested first set, where Eastern initially grabbed a slight edge. The Eagles held a 21-19 lead after a late surge, and despite Sacramento tying it up at 19-19, Eastern clinched the set 25-23 with strong finishing points.
 
However, the momentum shifted in the second set. After falling behind 8-2, the Eagles responded with a remarkable 13-0 run led by Elle Bruegman, pushing ahead to a 15-8 lead. The Hornets regrouped and fought back, eventually tying the set at 21-21 and securing the final two points to take it 25-23.
 
In the third set, Eastern started strong, leading 6-3, but Sacramento State rallied with a 4-0 run to take the lead. The Eagles battled back, with Gunderson delivering her second ace of the match, but the Hornets edged the set 25-22, capitalizing on critical points down the stretch.
 
Set four was dominated by Sacramento, who quickly established an 11-7 lead. Eastern struggled to find their footing and ultimately fell 25-17, concluding the match with a 3-1 loss.
 
Up Next
The Eagles will return home for their final home stint against Montana on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m., against Montana State.
 
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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