Harris-Stowe Bests Eureka in Competitive Season Opener, 3-0 

EUREKA – An improved Eureka volleyball team opened the 2023 season with a competitive, three-set loss against Harris Stowe on Tuesday. 

The visiting Hornets earned a 25-22, 25-13, 25-23 sweep over the Red Devils at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center.  

The maroon and gold passed and moved the ball well, but it had trouble consistently finding the floor on the night. Junior newcomer Hallee Gauna (Arcola, Ill./Arcola) finished with a team-high six kills to with three service aces. Junior Alexis Charlton (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) followed with five kills.  

In her first match at libero, junior Brooklyn Shell (Evansville, Ind./Mount Vernon) posted 18 digs, along with a team-high four aces. Thirteen Red Devils entered the match on the night. 

Eureka was right with the Harris-Stowe in two of the three sets.  

In the first set, the Red Devils went on an early 3-0 run and took a 6-3 lead, but the visitors came back with a 9-1 run that prompted an EC timeout.  

Harris Stowe's lead expanded to seven on back-to-back hitting errors. Then, Eureka responded with a surge of its own. 

With Shell at the service line most of the way, the Red Devils went on a 9-0 run that gave EC a two-point edge.  

They led by as many as three before the Hornets chipped away before taking the lead by scoring four straight. Down two at 22-20, EC called timeout and traded points the rest of the way, but the Hornets held on, 25-22.  

The second set was close until the Hornets took over midway through and cruised the rest of the way.  

The third set, however, came down to the wire. Tied at 21-21, the Hornets claimed the next three points to reach match point. A kill by Sara Hart (Secor, Ill./Eureka) and a hitting error brought Eureka one point away, but that was as close as the home team would come down the stretch.  

Eureka (0-1) will next take on Dominican (3-1) in non-conference action next Tuesday at 7 p.m.