CHENEY, Wash. — Eastern Washington has three teams in action this week. Soccer hits the road for the first time this season for a pair of matchups in Illinois, while volleyball travels to Ellensburg to face Central Washington in an exhibition match. Football rounds out the week by wrapping up fall camp with its second and final scrimmage.
Soccer – at UIC (Thursday, Aug. 20 at 4:00 p.m. PST); at Western Illinois (Sunday, Aug. 23 at 9:30 a.m. PST)
The Eagles hit the road for the first time this season, traveling to Illinois for a pair of non-conference matchups. Eastern opens the trip against UIC on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 4 p.m. Pacific Time in Chicago before heading to Macomb, Ill., to face Western Illinois on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
Eastern enters the road trip with a 2-0 record after opening the 2026 season with back-to-back wins and shutouts at the EWU Soccer Field. The Eagles defeated Mount Royal 2-0 in the season opener before earning a 1-0 victory over Bucknell.
Against Mount Royal, Ella Hyde scored her first career goal in the 39th minute to give Eastern a 1-0 lead heading into halftime. Mia Miconi added insurance in the 83rd minute, scoring her first goal as an Eagle off an assist from Maya Bossenbrook. Payton Hyde made seven saves in her first collegiate start to secure the shutout.
Eastern followed with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Bucknell. Despite being outshot 21-11, the Eagles' defense held strong behind another standout performance from P. Hyde, who recorded nine saves. Captain Iris Mattern helped anchor the back line as Eastern kept the Bison off the scoreboard.
Miconi delivered the game-winner for the second straight match, finding the back of the net in the 81st minute with a strike from 16 yards out. The goal was her second in as many games to begin her Eagle career.
Through two matches, Eastern is 2-0 with two shutouts. Miconi has scored in each game, while P. Hyde has totaled 16 saves without allowing a goal in 180 minutes of action.
Volleyball – Exhibition - at Central Washington (Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 1:00 p.m.)
Eastern Washington volleyball hits the road for its first competition of the 2026 season, taking on Central Washington in an exhibition match on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 1 p.m.
The Eagles return 10 players from last season's roster, including starters Kalista Lukovich, Quincy Moran, Elle Bruegman and Judith Bolomboy. Eastern also welcomes seven newcomers to the roster. Transfers Ziah Sneva, Aspyn Reed, Stephanie Groswirt and Makena Gamby join the Eagles, along with freshmen Jade Livingston, Carlyn Rapozo-Kamoku and Reese Betschart.
Following Tuesday's exhibition, Eastern will officially open the 2026 season at the Seattle U Tournament, beginning Friday, Aug. 28 against North Dakota. The Eagles will then face Chicago State on Saturday, Aug. 29 before closing out the tournament against host Seattle U on Sunday, Aug. 30.
Football - Scrimmage #2 (Friday, Aug. 21 at 2:30 PM)
Eastern Washington holds its second and final scrimmage of fall camp this Friday on the EWU practice fields. The scrimmage will serve as the team's final practice of fall camp before the first regular-season game against Northern Arizona on Aug. 29. The scrimmage is free and open to the public.
EWU finished 4-4 in the Big Sky, and 5-7 overall, tying for seventh on the conference standings in 2025. Eastern was picked to finish eighth in the Big Sky preseason coaches' and media poll. Jaylon Jenkins and Isaiah Perez each earned preseason Big Sky All-Conference preseason honors after earning All-Conference honors last season. The two have also earned three preseason All-American honors from Stats Perform, FCS Football Central, and Phil Steele.
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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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