Box Score
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois fell to SIUE in straight-sets (22-25, 13-25, 13-25) in the Ohio Valley Conference opening match for both teams. With the loss, EIU drops to 3-12 and 0-1 in the OVC. The Panthers will return to Lantz Arena for their OVC home opener against Belmont on Friday night.
After SIUE score the first point of the first set, Eastern Illinois went on a 7-0 run capped off by a
Josie Winner kill. The Panthers would continue to lead until SIUE tied the set at 12-12 on an EIU error. Eastern Illinois called a timeout to break the SIUE rhythm as the two teams would trade points down the stretch. After a kill by
Allie Hueston and an error by SIUE the score became tied at 17-17. SIUE would score the next two points and hold the lead for the rest of the first set as the Cougars would take a 1-0 lead following a 25-22 win.
SIUE jumped out front scoring the first four points in the second set before a
Taylor Smith kill put the Panthers on the board. Eastern Illinois trimmed the SIUE lead to two points at 10-8 on a
Maria Brown kill, but the Cougars began to pull away. A 6-0 run in the middle of the set propelled SIUE as they would pick up the second set victory at 25-13.
Hueston pulled Eastern Illinois within a point at 7-6 in the third set, but SIUE scored four out of the next five points to take a four-point lead at 11-7. SIUE extended their lead to eight points before another kill by Hueston put the score at 18-11. The Panthers attempted one final comeback, but SIUE picked up the third set win by the score of 25-13.
Brown, Hueston, and Smith all finished with seven kills each to lead the EIU offense.
Lindsey Powers finished with a team-high 10 digs in the match.Â
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