MATCH ONE BOX | MATCH TWO BOX

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team won a five-set thriller against California State University Fullerton before dropping another five-setter to Fordham University.
 
The Colonels (1-7) defeated the Titans (6-2) by scores of 25-14, 25-22, 19-25, 20-25 and 15-13, but fell to the Rams (3-5) by scores of 25-17, 20-25, 25-21, 22-25 and 15-12.
 
In match one the Titans led 6-5 early, but then EKU rattled off seven in a row, starting with a putaway from Cassie Knutson to go ahead 13-6. The Colonels never trailed again in the set. CSF committed back-to-back attack errors to end the set in favor of EKU, 25-14.
 
After taking the second set, the Colonels fell in the third and fourth as Cal State Fullerton forced a fifth set..
 
The squads exchanged points down the stretch in the fifth. But, with a slight advantage at the 10-9 mark, EKU tallied three points in a row to create the largest gap of the set, 13-9. The Titans came within one at the 13-12 mark and again at the 14-13 mark, but Lindsey Wilkins notched a commanding kill to end the set and call the match, 15-13.
 
Knutson had a match-high 16 kills to go along with 11 digs in the first while Chloe Rojas had a match-high 27 digs. Rachel Woody tied for a match-high with 28 assists and Kaylin Johnson tied for a match-high six blocks.
 
Wilkins and Johnson also collected double-figure kills with 12 and 10, respectively.
 
In match two the squads fought to a fifth-set stalemate. After a point was awarded to EKU by the official to start the match and Knutson and Johnson came up with a huge block the Rams responded to even the score at 2-2. The score evened again at 3-3 and 4-4.
 
Fordham took the lead, 10-5, before EKU scored four unanswered to pull within one, 10-9.
 
Five points later the set squared up again at 12-12. The Rams scored the final three points, uncontested, to take the match, 15-12.
 
Wilkins collected a team-high 17 kills in match two while Knutson added 13. Rojas tallied 24 digs while Woody collected a 26-dig, 11-dig double-double. Kennedy Wilson also had an 11-dig outing.
 
Johnson totaled seven blocks in match two.
 
EKU will be back in action tomorrow as they take on the home team, UNLV, at 5 p.m. ET.