FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Eastern Washington (12-13, 8-7) dropped their opening match of the road trip, falling to Northern Arizona (13-13, 6-9) in straight sets, 25-19, 25-21, 25-20.
"We are disappointed with the result, and we know we can do better," said head coach
Jon Haruguchi. "We have to regroup and prepare better for UNC on Saturday."
Bri Gunderson led the Eagles offensively with seven kills, hitting .235, and added two blocks. Defensively,
Sadie Bacon recorded three blocks, while
Morgan Blazzard posted a team-high 11 digs.
The match began as a back-and-forth battle in the first set. NAU took an early 10-7 lead, but Eastern rallied to regain the lead at 13-12. However, the Lumberjacks surged ahead following a media timeout, taking a 15-13 lead. NAU came out of the timeout with a 5-0 run, before Eastern broke the streak with a challenge. Despite the Eagles' efforts, NAU closed out the first set 25-19.
In set two, the Lumberjacks quickly built a 12-5 lead, with solid contributions at the net and strong defense in the back row. Eastern worked to chip away at the deficit, but Northern Arizona maintained control and took the set 25-21.
The third set was a competitive affair, with NAU holding a slim advantage throughout much of the frame. The Lumberjacks pulled away with a six-point lead midway through, and although the Eagles battled to close the gap, they ultimately fell 25-20, giving NAU the match 3-0.
Up Next
The Eagles will close out the regular season with Northern Colorado on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m.
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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