Box Score vs. UNC Greensboro  |  Box Score vs. Radford

BOONE, N.C. – Eastern Kentucky University's volleyball team earned its first win of the season by beating North Carolina-Greensboro, before falling to Radford, on the final day of the Appalachian Invitational hosted by Appalachian State.
 
The Colonels took down UNC Greensboro 3-2 and lost to Radford 3-1.
 
Against UNC Greensboro (1-1), Eastern Kentucky never trailed in the first set and jumped out to a 15-6 lead.  After taking a 22-13 advantage on a Spartan error, the Colonels had to stave off a late rally.  UNCG scored nine of the next 11 to close within two, 24-22.  A kill by Molly Michalak closed out the 25-22 win.
 
UNC Greensboro maintained that momentum into the second set, scoring the first 14 points and cruising to a 25-8 win to tie the match.  The Spartans had a 13-8 lead in the third before the Colonels went on a 6-1 run to tie it.  Sarah Mitchell's kill made it 14-14.  Down 19-17, EKU closed out the set on an 8-1 run.  Back-to-back kills by Hannah Keating finished it off and gave Eastern Kentucky a 2-1 lead.
 
The Spartans won a close fourth set, 25-20, to send it to a fifth.  Down 6-5 in the fifth set, a kill by Mitchell and a UNCG attack error swung the lead to the Colonels and EKU never trailed again.  A 4-0 Eastern Kentucky run, fueled by kills from Anna Purichia and Michalak broke a 7-7 tie.  UNC Greensboro closed within one on two occasions, but never any closer.  Kills from Katie McKune and Mitchell made it match-point, 14-11.  Mitchell's kill moments later finished it off, 15-12.
 
Keating finished with a match-best 19 kills and only three errors for a .471 hitting percentage.  She also had three digs and two blocks.  Mitchell had 14 kills, only two errors and a .545 attack percentage.  McKune had two key blocks to go along with three kills.  Sydney Schoen contributed a match-high 18 digs and Taylor Grinley finished with 36 assists and 10 digs.
 
Against Radford, the Colonels were down five, 24-19, before staging a late first set rally.  EKU rolled off six straight to go up 25-24.  However, the Highlanders scored four of the next six to win 28-26 and take the 1-0 lead.  In the second set, Eastern Kentucky led 23-21 before Radford battled back to tie it 24-24.  This time the Colonels won three of the next four points to win the set 27-25 and tie the match 1-1.
 
With EKU up 9-8 in the third set, the Highlanders strung together a 7-0 run to take control.  A kill by Emma Young made it 15-9.  Radford took the set 25-16 to break the tie.
 
The fourth set was tied 13-13 before Radford (1-2) used a 7-2 run to seize control.  A kill by Samantha Reitz capped it and put the Highlanders in front 20-15 on their way to a 25-20 win.
 
Michalak had a team-best 16 kills for EKU.  Grinley had 33 assists and Schoen totaled 14 digs.
 
Eastern Kentucky (1-2) will play in the Loyola Tournament next weekend.  The Colonels face Loyola on Friday at 1:30 and Xavier at 6 p.m.  EKU will take on Southern Illinois Edwardsville on Saturday at 1 p.m.