Eureka Rally Stopped at Fontbonne Wednesday

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Lexi Dooley (Sutter, Ill./Warsaw H.S.) put down a match-high 13 kills to lead the Eureka College volleyball team Wednesday night, but host Fontbonne won the first two games to set the tone as part of a 25-15, 25-16, 20-25, 25-16 victory over the Red Devils in St. Louis, Mo.

Runa Akagawa (Saitama, Japan/Ritsumeikan Keisho) accounted for 10 points from nine kills and a service ace. Heather Robinson (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.) paced EC with 13 assists and McKenna Cleer (Havana, Ill./Havana H.S.) logged 13 digs.

The Griffins led from wire to wire in each of the first two sets. Victoria Curtice's kill in game one triggered a 13-5 FU run, turning a slim 12-10 advantage into a 25-15 game-one win. In game two, the Griffins seized control early on service from Kristina Eason and grabbed a 14-4 lead midway through the action. Sarah Borgerding clinched the game-two win, 25-16, with a service ace.

Eureka swung the momentum in game three, breaking a 5-5 tie on Robinson's kill to ignite a 15-5 burst. A solo block from McKenzie Reiners (Milford, Ill./Milford H.S.) gave EC its largest lead at 20-10. A late Fontbonne push trimmed its deficit to as small as four (24-20), but Robinson finished a set from Kaylyn Arrenholz (Delavan, Ill./Delavan H.S.) to end the game with a 25-20 win.

The Red Devils led as late as 9-8 in the fourth game, but back-to-back errors followed by three consecutive kills allowed FU to grab a 13-9 lead. The hosts would lead the rest of the way and the final eight-point margin was their widest of the set.

Eureka will return to Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center this Friday for a 7 p.m. match against Webster.