Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky lost the first set, but then won three straight to beat Western Kentucky, 3-1, in the Hilltoppers' own Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic on Saturday.
Eastern will play its first home match of the season on Tuesday against Marshall at 6 p.m. There will be a t-shirt and poster giveaways at the match.
The Colonels (6-2) won by scores of 16-25, 25-23, 25-13 and 25-20.
Addison Burke had a team-high 13 kills to go along with seven digs, two blocks and one assist. She made only one attack error in 44 attempts.
Audrey Hudson added 10 kills.
Emilee Hill had 19 assists, 13 digs, seven kills, four blocks and two aces.
The Colonels grabbed an early 4-3 lead in the first set on a block from Hill and
Caitlyn Flees. However, Western Kentucky (5-4) took control of the set with a 6-0 run. A service error put the Hilltoppers in front 16-10. An ace from Faith Young finished off the first, 25-16.
The second set stayed close throughout. A kill from Young tied the score at 19-19 for WKU. The Colonels then scored four straight.
Alexis Bull and Burke had one kill each, and
Cassidy Trahan capped it with an ace. A service error gave Eastern Kentucky set-point at 24-20 and another service error ended the set, 25-23.
EKU jumped out to an 8-2 lead to start the third set. A kill from Burke and a WKU attack error made it 3-0. A kill from Hill put her squad ahead 5-1. A kill from Flees staked the visitors to an early 8-2 advantage. Four straight from the Colonels pushed the margin to seven. Hill and Flees combined for a block again before a bad set handed Eastern a 12-5 lead. A kill from Burke made it 19-10. Bull ended the set, 25-13, with a kill.
After a kill from Burke broke a 3-3 tie in the fourth set, the Colonels led the rest of the way. An ace from Flees put EKU in front 11-5. After Western closed within three, 14-11, Eastern Kentucky put the match away with a 5-1 run. Burke's ace capped it and pushed the margin to seven, 19-12. The Hilltoppers got within two, 21-19, on a kill from Young, but Eastern responded by scoring three straight to reach match-point. Burke's kill made it 24-19. After a WKU point, Bull blocked an attack in the middle to seal the victory.
Young had a match-best 17 kills and hit .577 for Western Kentucky.
EKU hit .257 for the match while holding the Hilltoppers to a .216 attack percentage. The Colonels out-blocked Western 7-5 and had 11 fewer attack errors.
