Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Eastern Kentucky lost to Lamar, 3-2, on Saturday at the Southern Miss Classic II.
 
Lamar (4-9) took the opening set 27-25 before the Colonels won set number two 25-23.  The Cardinals took a 2-1 lead with a 25-23 victory in the third set.
 
EKU trailed 20-19 late in the fourth before using a 6-1 run to stay alive.  A kill by Molly Michalak tied it 20-20.  With the match tied 21-21, Eastern Kentucky scored the final four points to win 25-21.  The final two came on kills from Sarah Mitchell.
 
The Colonels (3-10) were down just two, 8-6, in the fifth set when Lamar took control with a 6-1 run that got the Cardinals to match point.  An ace from Sam Swayze capped the run and made it 14-7.  Lamar won the set 15-8, and the match, moments later on a kill from Kaitlyn Gil.
 
Freshman Anna Purichia had a match-best 20 kills to go along with a .295 attack percentage.  Mitchell contributed 16 kills.  Sydney Schoen led all players with 27 digs.

Schoen earned a spot on the all-tournament team after averaging 4.69 digs per set over three matches.
 
Gil led Lamar with 14 kills.
 
The Colonels will begin ASUN Conference play on Friday with the first of three matches in three days in Nashville.  EKU will face Jacksonville on Friday at 4 p.m., Liberty on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday at 1 p.m.