CHENEY, Wash. — Eastern Washington opened the Eastern Volleyball Tournament with a five-set victory over Seattle U before falling in another five-set battle to Gonzaga. On their trip to Pullman, the Eagles dropped a straight-set contest to Washington State. EWU now sits at 2-10 overall as they prepare to open Big Sky Conference play.
"It's been a pretty rough preseason as far as outcomes," said head coach
Jon Haruguchi. "But we knew that it was going to be this way. We scheduled some tough teams and challenging weekends away. I'm really proud of how we've progressed."
Leading the charge was outside hitter
Kalista Lukovich, who posted 51 kills across the weekend and was named to the Eastern Volleyball Tournament All-Tournament Team.
"It felt like the first time we really came together as a team and played for each other," Lukovich said. "That's something we've talked about a lot, especially with a couple of seniors on the team. We want to make sure we give everything we have every point, every game, because this is the only time this group will be together. I think we executed really well."
At the net,
Alyssa Radke had a record-breaking performance. She tallied 19 total blocks, including 13 solos, and set a new program record for most solo blocks in a single set (8) against Seattle—a mark that stood for 41 years. Defensively,
Elle Bruegman paced the back row with 28 digs, averaging 2.15 per set.
Haruguchi also credited the team's defensive growth.
"Blocking footwork, what our hands have to do, how our eyes have to work—our players have done a tremendous job," he said. "A lot of teams are challenging our block, and we work every day in practice to make sure our hitters are prepared to challenge it right back."
Match Recaps
EWU vs. Seattle U
The opening set was a tight battle, with both teams trading points. Seattle pulled ahead late and closed the frame 27-25. Eastern responded in set two, controlling the tempo behind strong serving and blocks from Radke to even the match with a 25-19 win. The Redhawks stormed back in the third, racing to a 25-17 decision, but the Eagles answered once again. With Lukovich and
Judith Bolomboy sparking the offense, Eastern edged set four 25-22 to force a decisive fifth.
In the final frame, the Eagles jumped out quickly and never looked back, sealing the match with a 15-8 victory.
EWU vs. Gonzaga
The Eagles opened strong against the Bulldogs, claiming the first set 25-22 with Radke making her presence felt at the net. Gonzaga responded with a 25-17 win in set two and carried that momentum to a 25-21 win in the third. Eastern rallied in the fourth, fueled by a late solo block from
Erin McInnes and a kill from
Quincy Moran to secure a 25-22 win and force a fifth. The final set slipped away from the Eagles, however, as Gonzaga closed out the match 15-13.
EWU vs. Washington State
Eastern wrapped up the weekend with a tough test against Pac-12 opponent Washington State, falling in straight sets (25-16, 25-11, 25-23). After struggling early, the Eagles battled hard in the third, siding out at 62 percent and nearly extending the match before the Cougars pulled away late.
Radke and Bolomboy led the attack with three kills each, while Lukovich and
Quincy Moran added three apiece. Setter
Anna Bolich dished out 14 assists, Davenport anchored the defense with 10 digs.
Up Next
Eastern Washington opens Big Sky Conference play at home against Montana State on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. in Cheney, before traveling to Northern Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 27, for a 5 p.m. matchup.
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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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