Box Score (PDF)

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The EKU volleyball team could not overcome an early deficit at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Saturday as the Colonels fell in straight sets.
 
The Cougars won by scores of 25-13, 25-22, and 25-19.
 
EKU took an early 3-2 lead in the first set before the Cougars put 10 straight points on the board to take a 13-3 lead over the Colonels. From there, the Cougars went on to a 25-13 win in the opening set.  
 
After trading points early in the second stanza the Cougars slowly built a six-point lead, but the Colonels remained calm. A kill from sophomore Cassie Knutson gave EKU the serve and Knutson dropped back-to-back aces to narrow the SIUE lead to three, 21-18.
 
The Cougars, however, took three of the next four points as EKU faced a set point opportunity for SIUE. Eastern Kentucky benefitted from Cougar errors and freshman Clairissa Hankinson's kill closed the SIUE lead to two, but the Cougars held on to clinch the set.
 
In the final set, SIUE used a 10-3 run in the third to help clinch the win.
 
Junior Nikki Drost led the EKU offense with seven kills. Junior defensive specialist Mallory Maxwell tied for a match-high 14 digs.
 
The Colonels return to McBrayer Arena on Friday as they host Southeast Missouri State and the University of Tennessee at Martin on Saturday. EKU is celebrating Reunion Weekend and Homecoming next weekend.