Red Devils Conquer Longtime Nemeses in Saturday Sweep

EUREKA – The Eureka College volleyball team climbed over a big historical hump Saturday at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center, earning a 25-20, 25-19, 25-20 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference sweep of Spalding followed by a 25-11, 25-19, 25-22 non-conference triumph over Lincoln Christian.

The morning victory gave Eureka its first-ever season series sweep of SU and the afternoon win was Eureka's first over LCU since October 2007, ending a string of 20 straight losses to the Red Lions.

Runa Akagawa (Saitama, Japan/Ritsumeikan Keisho) led the way in Eureka's early sweep of Spalding with 10 kills. Kary Langan (Lakewood, Ill./Shelbyville H.S.) followed with eight. Madison Gayheart (Penfield, Ill./Armstrong H.S.) paced the defensive effort with 26 digs. Eureka, which overcame an 8-0 deficit in the third game, earned its first victory in seven tries at the Reagan Athletic Complex over the Golden Eagles.

Annaliese Miller (Chenoa, Ill./Prairie Central H.S.) had a huge match for the Red Devils against Lincoln Christian, drilling nine kills against only one error on 19 swings. Langan and Akagawa added seven kills apiece. Heather Robinson (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.) dished 17 assists and McKenzie Reiners (Milford, Ill./Milford H.S.) logged three solo blocks.

Eureka committed only nine attack errors in the afternoon win over the Red Lions.

The Red Devils are back on the road Tuesday for a 7 p.m. start at Monmouth, their final non-conference match of 2018.