Eureka Battles, Falls Against Lyon, Webster

EUREKA – The Eureka volleyball team hosted Lyon and Webster in a competitive St. Louis Intercollegiate

The Red Devils pushed Lyon into extra points twice in a four-set loss to start the day and fell in three sets against a strong Webster squad.

Match 1: Lyon 3, Eureka 1

After getting swept by the Fighting Scots on the road last week, Eureka came back home and gave them a run for their money.

Two of the first four sets of the day were thrillers. The Red Devils and the Fighting Scots were neck-and-neck in a 33-31 opener that ultimately went the visitors' way, and they came out on top in a 26-24 victory Set 2.

Lyon, however, cruised throughout the second set to take a 2-0 lead and closed out the final set strong to clinch a 33-31, 25-10, 24-26, 25-10 victory over the maroon and gold.

Alexis Charlton (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) posted a team-high seven kills while hitting .222. Halle Gauna (Arcola, Ill./Arcola/Lincoln Trail College) followed with seven, and Payton Florine (Galesburg, Ill./Abingdon-Avon/Lincoln) and Brittney Mekelburg (Johnstown, Colo./Roosevelt/St. Andrews) each had five kills.

Florine tallied a team high 17 digs and had three solo blocks, while libero Jurnee Flournoy (Decatur, Ill./Decatur MacArthur) notched 14 digs. Senior setter Hope McGinnes (Mackinaw, Ill./Deer Creek-Mackinaw) registered 16 assists and sophomore setter Sara Hart (Secor, Ill./Eureka) posted nine.

Match 2: Webster 3, Eureka 0

Gauna finished with a team-high seven kills while hitting .357 – a team best among hitters who recorded 10 hits or more.

Hart recorded a team-high 11 digs, and Florine and Flournoy each had 10. McGinnes dropped a season-high four aces.

The Red Devils were in every set -- they even started off the second set with a 6-0 run – but the Gorloks always found a way to pull away in the end.

Up Next:

Eureka (2-6) will next host Knox (0-11) in non-conference play on Tuesday at 7 p.m.