Box Score vs. Morehead State  |  Box Score vs. Radford

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University beat Morehead State and Radford on the first day of the Geri Polvino Invitational (GPI) at the Rick Erdmann Olympic Sports Training Center (OSTC) on Friday. 
 
The Colonels (3-2) won both matches 3-1.  EKU knocked off Morehead State by scores of 25-19, 25-13, 20-25 and 25-19 and then beat the Highlanders 25-19, 20-25, 25-22 and 25-22.
 
The GPI will conclude with two matches on Saturday.  Morehead State and Radford will play at 11 a.m.  EKU closes out the GPI against Youngstown State at 1:30 p.m.
 
In the first match against Morehead State, Sarah Mitchell led all players with 14 kills.  She also had 12 digs and two aces.  Josie Schmitendorf had 20 digs.  AG Vandagriff finished with 11 kills and just two errors for a .360 attack percentage.  Paige Wagers had 11 total blocks. 
 
As a team, EKU out-blocked the Eagles 12-4 and out-hit MSU .214 to .153.  The Colonels served up 12 aces, compared to just two for the Eagles.
 
With the match tied at 16-16 in the first set, the Colonels rolled off a 7-1 run to seize control.  Emilee Hill had a kill and an ace during the run.  A Morehead State error finished it off and put the home team ahead 23-17.  Vandagriff's kill ended the set at 25-19.  EKU scored five of the first six points in the second set and never trailed.  Back-to-back Eagle attack errors handed the Colonels an 8-3 edge.  Carson Ledford's kill made it 15-9.  An ace from Madi Tolzman finished off the set at 25-13.
 
Morehead State rebounded to win the third set, taking the lead for good when Sydney Wyman broke a 7-7 tie with a kill.  M.E. Hargan's kill gave the visitors a 25-20 victory.
 
The Colonels never trailed in the fourth, jumping out to a 7-3 lead on consecutive MSU errors.  Vandagriff made it 18-11 with a kill.  Mitchell's ace finished off the set, 25-19, and the match.
 
Hargan had a team-best 13 kills for Morehead State.
 
Mitchell had a team-best 12 kills with 10 digs in the win over Radford.  Wagers posted 10 kills, a .615 attack percentage and five more blocks.  Vandagriff contributed 11 kills on a .348 attack percentage and three blocks.
 
After the two teams split the first two sets, the Colonels were in danger of falling behind 2-1 when Sydney Mundkowsky gave Radford an 18-14 lead with a kill.  EKU answered with an 8-2 run to turn the tide.  Three straight, including kills from Ledford and Vandagriff, cut the deficit to one, 18-17.  A kill from Tolzman followed by two Radford errors capped the run and put the home squad ahead 22-20.  Wagers finished it moments later with a kill for a 25-22 win.
 
With the fourth set tied 7-7, the Colonels scored nine of the next 12 to go in front by six.  Back-to-back Highlander errors made it 16-10.  Jackeline Nerro's ace brought Radford within two, 24-22, before Wagers ended the match with a kill.
 
Mundkowsky led all players with 18 kills for Radford (1-4).
 
In the other matches on Friday at the GPI, Youngstown State beat Radford 3-1.  Morehead State beat Youngstown State, 3-0.