Box Score
STATESBORO, Ga. – Eastern Kentucky beat Radford, 3-2, to open play on Friday at the GATA Challenge hosted by Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia.
The Colonels (3-0) remained undefeated after winning by scores of 25-13, 16-25, 27-25, 23-25 and 20-18.
Senior setter
Emilee Hill posted a triple-double for the second straight match. She finished with 19 kills, 28 assists, 15 digs, four blocks and three service aces. Sophomore
Addison Burke contributed 19 kills, two blocks and one ace.
Caitlyn Flees had five blocks and
Cassidy Trahan finished with a match-best 29 digs.
With the match tied 2-2, EKU jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fifth set. However, Radford battled back to tie it at 7-7 and took the lead on a kill from Addison Cunnagin that made it 10-9. The Highlanders reached match-point, 14-12, after a service error from the Colonels, but EKU won the next two points to tie it. Radford took match-point again at 15-14 before a kill from Hill and an ace from Burke gave Eastern Kentucky match-point at 16-15.
Another kill from Cunnagin gave the Highlanders another match-point at 17-16. A kill by
Emersyn Robbins and an ace from Flees pushed EKU to match-point again, 18-17. After yet another Cunnagin kill tied it, Eastern Kentucky finished off the match by winning the next two points. Radford served up an error and freshman
Becca Rogers finished it off, 20-18, with a kill.
The Colonels totaled seven service aces, compared to three for Radford. EKU had an 11-9 edge in blocks. The Highlanders were held to a .185 attack percentage.
Riley Greene led Radford (2-3) with 15 kills. She made only one error in 27 attempts for a .519 attack percentage.
The Colonels will take on Prairie View A&M on Saturday at 11 a.m. ET. EKU will close out play on Sunday against Georgia Southern at 1 p.m. ET. The match against GSU will air live on ESPN+.
