Photo courtesy of Grant Mullin.
Photo courtesy of Grant Mullin.

Red Devils Fall in Opener to St. Mary-of-the-Woods

EUREKA, Ill. – The Eureka College volleyball team opened its 2017 season Monday night at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena, coming up short in a 25-20, 25-10, 25-17 non-conference defeat to USCAA St. Mary-of-the-Woods.

In game one, Eureka trailed 16-12 before engineering an 8-4 burst to force a 20-20 deadlock after a SMWC attack error. The Pomeroys regained a 21-20 lead on the ensuing rally thanks a Eureka service error, triggering a 5-0 run to end the set. Meagan White's service ace secured a 25-20 win.

SWMC controlled game two from start to finish, scoring 10 straight points to start the frame and 13 of the first 14 points for a big lead. The Pomeroys ultimately won the set, 25-10.

Eureka trailed 12-8 in game three after a Mckenzi Kumpf service ace, but the Red Devils used another rally and eventually pulled even, 16-16, on a kill from junior Lexi Dooley (Sutter, Ill./Warsaw H.S.). The push wasn't enough, as the visitors got a kill from Mack to regain a 17-16 lead and closed the contest on a 9-1 run for a 25-17 win.

Junior Heather Robinson (Peoria, Ill./Bartonville H.S.) shared the team lead with four kills Monday. She also added 13 assists and a two block assists. Senior Anne Crank (Washburn, Ill./Midland H.S./Clarke) put down four kills in her Eureka debut and Dooley also tacked on four kills. Senior Beth Mickna (Deer Creek, Ill./Dee-Mack H.S.) had a pair of blocks solos and junior Jordan Detmers (Hartsburg, Ill./Hartsburg-Emden H.S.) logged nine of the Red Devils' 31 digs.

Kumpf led all players with 17 kills and 10 digs. Mary Alvanos registered an assist on 29 of the Pomeroys' 36 kills.

Eureka will have approximately 24 hours to prepare for its first road trip of the season, a 7 p.m. non-conference start at Knox Tuesday in Galesburg, Ill.