Seniors Pave the Way in Red Devils’ Win Over MacMurray
EUREKA – Eureka closed out the 2018 season in grand fashion Saturday during Senior Day at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena, sailing to a 25-20, 25-15, 17-25, 25-18 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over MacMurray. The Red Devils' senior class of Lexi Dooley (Sutter, Ill./Warsaw H.S.), Haley Holzem (Normal, Ill./Normal West H.S.) and Heather Robinson (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.) combined for 26 kills, 23 assists and 32 digs in the four-set win.
Dooley finished her 103-match collegiate career with 801 kills, becoming just the fifth player in program history to reach the 800-kill plateau. Robinson played in 108 matches and ended her Eureka career with 780 kills, sixth-most in program history. She also ranked sixth on the Red Devils' career assists list with 1,354, and she is the only player in program history currently ranked among Eureka's all-time top 10 in both kills and assists.
Eureka won game one 25-20 despite falling behind the Highlanders early. Dooley's kill on an assist from Katlyn Arrenholz (Delavan, Ill./Delavan H.S.) allowed the hosts to snag a 7-6 edge and EC wouldn't trail again during the frame. A run of four consecutive points on later service from Dooley allowed the Red Devils to lead comfortably for the remainder of the set..
The Red Devils never trailed in game two. The score was tied as late as 9-9 and remained a two-point game as late as 17-15, but dominant service from McKenzie Reiners (Milford, Ill./Milford H.S.) allowed EC to score eight points in a row to close the set with a 25-15 win.
MacMurray kept the pressure on the Red Devils by scoring five of the first six points in game three. MC led by as many as nine points before a service error the frame with MC in front 25-17.
Game four looked to be teetering toward the visitors early, but Eureka closed its early gap and snagged a 14-13 lead thanks to an MC attack error. Dooley's kill just two rallies later moved EC in front for good. Back-to-back blocks by Caitlin Miller (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S.) allowed Eureka to close out the game and the match with a 25-18 win.
