Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University claimed the Geri Polvino Invitational (GPI) Championship with a 3-0 victory over Youngstown State on Saturday at the Rick Erdmann Olympic Sports Training Center (OSTC). 
 
The Colonels (4-2) won by scores of 25-15, 25-22 and 25-21.  EKU went 3-0 in the event, picking up wins over Morehead State and Radford on Friday.
 
EKU's Sarah Mitchell was chosen as the GPI MVP.  She and Carson Ledford were named to the GPI All-Tournament team.  Abbie Householder (Youngstown State), Miranda Howard (Radford) and M.E. Hargan (Morehead State) were also all-tournament selections.
 
In three matches in the GPI, Mitchell averaged 3.18 kills, 3.45 digs and 0.45 aces.  Ledford hit .364 for the tournament with 1.91 kills and 0.45 blocks per set.
 
Leading 8-7 in the first set, EKU went on an 8-2 run to build a 7-point lead.  Madi Tolzman capped it with an ace.  AG Vandagriff's kill gave the Colonels set-point.  Moments later, the home team took the set 25-15 on a block from Vandagriff and Paige Wagers.
 
EKU scored 12 of the first 15 points in the second set.  Kills by Vandagriff and Tolzman, followed by a YSU attack error made it 12-3.  Emma Closurdo put the Colonels ahead 18-10 with a kill.  The Colonels went in front by nine, 22-13, on a kill from Vandagriff and another Penguin error.  Youngstown whittled the deficit to two, 24-22, before Closurdo closed out the set with a kill.
 
YSU (2-4) led for much of the first half of the third set.  A kill from Kelsey Cooper made it 13-9 in favor of the visitors.  The Colonels responded by scoring eight of the next 10.  Closurdo tied it at 13-13 with a kill.  Mitchell's ace put EKU ahead 16-15.  Another ace from the senior capped it and pushed the margin to three, 18-15.  With the Colonels in front by one, 22-21, Mitchell recorded a kill.  A block from Closurdo pushed it to match-point.  A Penguin error ended the set and the match.
 
Mitchell, Closurdo and Tolzman finished with nine kills each.  Mitchell also had 16 digs and three aces.  Wagers had eight blocks.  She averaged 2.18 blocks per set in the GPI.
 
Householder led YSU with eight kills go to along with 10 digs.
 
The Colonels will return to action on Friday against Central Michigan and Green Bay at the Chippewa Invitational in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.