Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky won its fifth straight match at home by defeating Southern Illinois Edwardsville, 3-1, on Saturday at McBrayer Arena. The Colonels (5-16) were led by a balanced attack with four players recording 12 or more kills and three players with 11 or more digs.

Game scores were 25-15, 25-27, 25-20 and 25-21.

Senior Lindsey Loescher and sophomore Hannah Groudle each finished with 14 kills for EKU. Loescher added 13 digs. Groudle contributed four block assists. Junior Lauren Snyder finished with 13 kills and three aces. Junior Autumn Harms posted 12 kills, a .421 attack percentage and four block solos.

Junior #Abby O’Connor totaled a match-best 29 digs and junior Kate Hendle# added a match-best 52 assists.

Sydney Winslow’s 21 kills for the Cougars (1-22) were a match-high. Jessica Hemann added 15 kills. Jamie Mueller finished with 50 assists and Karie Downing led the team with 16 digs.

Eastern Kentucky finished with 65 kills and only 16 attack errors for a .290 hitting percentage. SIUE hit .219 for the match. The Colonels held a 9-3 advantage in blocks.

In the first set, EKU never looked back after jumping out to an 8-3 lead. A kill by Loescher and a Cougar attack error pushed the margin to 13-4. Back-to-back SIUE attack errors gave Eastern set-point and Groudle finished it off, 25-15, with a kill.

The score in the second set was tied 11 times. A kill by Loescher broke a 23-23 tie and gave Eastern set-point, but the Cougars tied the score on kill by Winslow. Moments later another Winslow kill put the visitors on top 26-25. An EKU attack error allowed SIUE to tie the match at 1-1.

Eastern Kentucky never trailed in the third set. The Colonels jumped out to a 5-1 margin and then took a 10-3 lead on an ace by Snyder. The Cougars closed the gap to two, 10-8, but Eastern scored five straight to take control of the set. A kill by Hendle ended the set, 25-20, and put Eastern on top 2-1.

In the early moments of the fourth set, the score was tied four times, but a 7-1 run by the Colonels opened up a 16-8 lead. SIUE closed to within three late in the set, 23-20, but EKU kept the visitors from getting any closer. A kill by Snyder pushed Eastern to match-point, 24-20. After the Cougars scored again, the match ended on an SIU Edwardsville service error.

The Colonels continue their three-match home stand on Friday when Tennessee State visits McBrayer Arena. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.