CHENEY, Wash. — The 2024 Eastern Washington women's volleyball team was on the court for the first time on Saturday afternoon against Central Washington in an exhibition match up. 

Kalista Lukovich led the Eagles on offense with 16 kills and 13 digs for a double-double. On the defensive side, Makenna Collins recorded 26 digs and Alyssa Radke collected eight blocks.

Central Washington jumped out to an early lead, but Eastern Washington refused to back down. Despite tying the score ten times, EWU couldn't overcome Central's advantage, falling 25-21.

EWU came out strong with a 7-2 lead, thanks to impressive serving from Sadie Bacon and pivotal blocks by Bri Gunderson and Radke. Although Central closed the gap to two points, EWU extended their lead to five, eventually winning 25-22 with Quincy Moran delivering the final two kills.

Eastern Washington seized control with a dominant performance. Lukovich sparked the team with back-to-back aces at points 17 and 18. EWU built their lead to 22-15 and maintained their advantage, closing out the set 25-17 with a decisive block from Tanai Jenkins and Radke.

The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle. EWU held a slim lead before Central Washington went on a 7-1 run, leveling the score at 24-24. Central edged out the set with a 26-24 win, tying the match at 2-2.

Central Washington took an early 8-5 lead, but EWU fought hard to close the gap. Despite their efforts, Central clinched the fifth set 15-13 and the match 3-2.

It was an exhilarating match, showcasing the resilience and skill of both teams, with Central ultimately emerging victorious in the final set.

Up Next
Eastern Washington opens the regular season at the Utah Valley Tournament, where they will play three games from Aug 30-31. Eastern starts with the host team, Utah Valley on Friday, followed by Cal State Bakersfield later that day. The tournament concludes on Saturday against UMKC. 
 
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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