SPOKANE, Wash. – Eastern Washington battled back from a two-set deficit but fell to Cal State Fullerton in five sets, 3-2 (25-19, 25-15, 27-29, 21-25, 15-11), suffering its first loss of the season and moving to 4-1 overall.
Kalista Lukovich led the Eagles offensively with 22 kills and added nine digs.
Bria Carlisle finished with 11 kills and a team-high six blocks, while
Stephanie Groswirt dished out 26 assists. Eastern totaled 12 blocks as a team.
"Tough loss, but a gritty performance by our team," said head coach
Jon Haruguchi. "We're going to face adversity throughout the season, and to be able to face it now against a very quality team, that's what we need if we're going to hope to be good in November. I'm really proud of the way our team responded after those first two sets."
The opening set featured back-and-forth action early, with
Aspyn Reed putting Eastern on the board with a kill.
Reese Betschart followed with an ace to help the Eagles build an early three-point advantage, but Cal State Fullerton settled in offensively and pulled away late to take the first set, 25-19.
Eastern opened the second with three straight points, aided by strong play at the net from
Sidney Gray and Carlisle. The Titans responded, building a 14-8 advantage before closing out the set, 25-15, to take a 2-0 match lead.
Facing a potential sweep, the Eagles responded in the third. Carlisle and Lukovich helped Eastern erase a five-point deficit before Carlisle and
Ziah Sneva combined for a block to tie the set at 22. The teams traded points deep into extra play before Lukovich delivered the set-winning kill, giving Eastern a 29-27 victory.
Groswirt provided a spark off the bench as the Eagles began their comeback.
"We just needed a spark, and we were trying to find where that spark could comefrom," Haruguchi said. "Today it came from Steph. I'm glad she stepped up to the challenge, and I'm proud of her."
Cal State Fullerton jumped out to a 6-0 advantage in the fourth, but Eastern quickly battled back. Defensive plays from
Judith Bolomboy and
Elle Bruegman helped spark a 5-0 run that cut the deficit to 9-8. Lukovich later gave Eastern its first lead at 14-13, and the Eagles carried the momentum from there, taking the fourth, 25-21, to force a decisive fifth set.
Eastern and Cal State Fullerton remained close early in the fifth, with a Groswirt ace helping the Eagles pull even. The Titans, however, found separation down the stretch and closed out the match with a 15-11 victory.
Haruguchi credited Eastern's veteran leadership for helping the Eagles stay composed throughout the comeback.
"To have that group of veteran players, whether they're on the floor or not, the value they bring, especially to the rest of us who are pretty young, is massive," Haruguchi said.
Eastern returns to action Saturday, Sept. 5, against Gonzaga at 2 p.m. to close out the Gonzaga Invitational.
Join the Eagle Athletic Fund for as low as $50 per year! Support Eagle student-athletes on and off the field while enjoying exclusive EAF perks such as season ticket and tailgating priority, invitations to special events, exclusive access and more. Visit goeags.com/eaf for more information.
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.
FOLLOW THE EAGLES
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
