Tweet #LOYALandTRUE

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Illinois (0-7, 0-4 OVC) dropped two tough matches on Friday evening as they battled hard in both losses to North Alabama and Eastern Kentucky. The Panthers are competing in their first beach volleyball tournament ever in their inaugural season. EIU lost to North Alabama by a score of 4-1 and lost to Eastern Kentucky by a score of 4-1.

TaKenya Stafford and Ashley Sharkus won their second consecutive match on the season as they battled through three sets to claw out the lone victory for the Panthers. Sharkus and Stafford competed in the No.1 match against North Alabama. They won 21-17, 10-21, and 15-9.

Elisavet Papageorgiou and Christina Martinez Mundo fought hard in the No. 2 pairings as they lost in two sets by scores of 18-21 and 19-21. Both No. 1 and No. 2 teams for the Panthers have won a match this season.

Ella Collins and Emily Wilcox also came up short in the No. 3 pairing as they lost in two by scores of 13-21 and 7-21.

MATCH ONE RESULTS
No. 1 Staffford, TaKenya / Sharkus, Ashley (EIU) def. No. 1 Girod, Jelena / Kordt, Natalie (UNA): 21-17, 10-21, 15-9
No. 2 Martin, Mackenzie / Ladner, Catie (UNA) def. No. 2 Papageorgiou, Elisavet / Martinez Mundo, Christina (EIU): 21-18, 21-19
No. 3 Seney, Taylor / Temple, Allison (UNA) def. No. 3 Collins, Ella / Wilcox, Emily (EIU): 21-13, 21-7
No. 4 Floyd, Katie / McLaurin, Martha (UNA) def. No. 4 Hieb, Ireland / Rocaix, Catalia (EIU): 21-12, 21-10
No. 5 Gerig, Katie / Quigley, Lauren (UNA) def. No. 5 Moster, Anna / Flynn, Kaitlyn (EIU): 21-10, 21-13

The Panthers fell 4-1 in their second match on Friday as Collins and Wilcox picked up their first win of the season in the No. 3 spot. They become the third pair to win a match this season. The scores were 21-14, 9-21, 15-10 in three sets.

Ireland Hieb and Catalina Rochaix played excellent in their first set only losing 21-19, but fell 21-6 in the second to lost in the No. 4 spot.

Papageorgious and Martinez Mundo continued their success together as they forced overtime in the second set, just falling short by a score of 22-20. They also lost a close 21-14 first set.

MATCH TWO RESULTS
No. 1 Stone, Shannon / Keating, Hannah (EKU) def. No. 1 Staffford, TaKenya / Sharkus, Ashley (EIU): 21-15, 21-15
No. 2 Mitchell, Sarah / Walker, Paitlyn (EKU) def. No. 2 Papageorgiou, Elisavet / Martinez Mundo, Christina (EIU): 21-14, 22-20
No. 3 Collins, Ella / Wilcox, Emily (EIU) def. No. 3 Schoen, Sydney / Johnson, Kaylin (EKU): 21-14, 9-21, 15-10
No. 4 Campbell, Maddy / Fonvielle, Elizabeth (EKU) def. No. 4 Hieb, Ireland / Rochaix, Catalina (EIU): 21-19, 21-6
No. 5 Walker, Kali / Rima, Bailey (EKU) def. No. 5 Moster, Anna / Flynn, Kaitlyn (EIU): 21-9, 21-13

The Panthers will be back tomorrow afternoon to finish Day 2 of the EKU Tournament. EIU will play Jacksonville State and Austin Peay for their final matches. First match is at 8:00 a.m.