Eureka Sweeps Spalding as Part of Saturday SLIAC Split

GREENVILLE, Ill. – The Eureka College volleyball team made quick work of longtime St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference nemesis Spalding, Saturday afternoon, churning out a 25-13, 25-17, 27-25 victory over the Golden Eagles in a neutral-site match in Greenville, Ill. The Red Devils stumbled in the afternoon match against host Greenville, 25-14, 25-7, 25-17.

EC 3, Spalding 0

Lexi Dooley (Sutter, Ill./Warsaw H.S.) was a force for the Red Devils in the early win over Spalding, putting down 17 kills against only four errors for a .361 attack percentage. Sara Worrell (Jacksonville, Ill./Routt Catholic H.S.) and Katlyn Arrenholz (Delavan, Ill./Delavan H.S.) combined for 31 assists and McKenna Cleer (Havana, Ill./Havana H.S.) was steady as always on the back line with 19 digs.

Eureka roared out of the game versus Spalding, attacking at a .483 clip in a 25-13 game-one win. A Caitlin Miller (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S.) triggered a 17-6 run from the Red Devils, turning a one-point lead midway through the set into a 25-13 triumph. Dooley finished a pass from Arrenholz to clinc the win.

Spalding led 7-3 in game two, but Eureka punched back with five in a row. Koti Weaver's service error forced a 14-14 tie, Runa Akagawa (Saitama, Japan / Ritsumeikan Keisho) promptly followed with a kill and the Red Devils finished the frame on a 8-3 burst.

In game three, Spalding grabbed a 12-5 lead to threaten a fourth set, but the Red Devils would not be denied. Neither side led my more than a point in the final stages of the set and Eureka overcame game point with three points to end the match, highlighted by kills from Akagawa and Heather Robinson (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.).

Greenville 3, EC 0

The Red Devils didn't gain much traction in its afternoon loss to Greenville. Dooley paced the offense with six kills. Eureka attached at a .035 clip.

Up Next

The Red Devils will return home Tuesday for a 7 p.m. match against Knox at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center.