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Match vs. ULM Recap
CHARLESTON, Ill. - The EIU volleyball team defeated Valparaiso three sets to two in front of a raucous Lantz Arena on Friday night. The set scores were as follows: 18-25, 25-20,18-25, 25-21, and 15-4. The Panthers fell behind the Beacons twice, but after finishing the fourth set on a 7-1 run, cruised to the finish line in set five. The battle marked the nightcap of day one of the EIU Panther Classic.
On offense, Eastern was led by graduate transfer
Natalie Mitchem, who smashed her way through the Valpo defense for 25 kills. Giovana Larregui Lopez was also a force to be reckoned with, collecting 16 kills of her own.
Catalina Rochaix was once again the facilitator of EIU's offensive success, tallying 58 assists.
EIU also recorded nine service aces, with Rochaix,
Laura Paniagua, and
Sylvia Hasz contributing a pair each.
On defense,
Christina Martinez Mundo stacked up a game-high 29 digs, followed by Larregui Lopez with 17. The Panthers also recorded seven total blocks, with freshman
Julia Stanev collecting 4.5 of them.
For the Beacons, Elise Swistek and Mallory Januski combined for 24 kills, while Addy Kois and Victoria Bulmahn set up the attack with 23 and 17 assists, respectively. Emma Hickey led the team with 16 digs.
EIU will close out their first weekend of the 2023 season with a match against Akron, set to begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Lantz Arena. It will be the final match of the Panther Classic.
