Eureka Bests Blackburn in Five Sets

GREENVILLE, Ill. – The Eureka volleyball team knocked off Blackburn in five sets on Friday evening, claiming its second St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win of the season.

After a slew of recent close matches, the Red Devils finally got over the hump, winning 17-25, 25-19, 11-25, 25-12, 15-12 to close out a triangular at Greenville.

Earlier in the day, Eureka fell in three sets against Greenville, 25-19, 25-19, 2-9. The Red Devils are now 7-15 on the season and 2-9 in SLIAC play.

Three Red Devils reached double figures in kills. Alexis Charlton (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) recorded a team-high 12 kills and contributed 11 digs. Brooklyn Shell (Evansville, Ind./Mount Vernon) and Madison Richards (Princeton, Ill./Princeton) were right behind her with 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Shell came up with a team-high 18 digs and landed two aces. Richards hit a team-high .386.

Regan Reed (Flanagan, Ill./Flanagan-Cornell) racked up a team-high 21 digs and was one of five Red Devils to record double-digit digs. She also had a team-high four aces.

Setter Hope McGinnes (Mackinaw, Ill./Deer Creek-Mackinaw/Lincoln) added 17 digs and 17 assists. Fellow setter Sara Hart (Secor, Ill./Eureka) distributed 23 assists and 10 digs.

In the Red Devils' first match of the day, the closest set was the second. The Red Devils played the Panthers even until 19-19. Greenville scored the last six to make it 2-0 and cruised from there.

Richards had a team-high seven kills on 14 swings. McGinnes and Hart notched 11 and 10 assists, respectively.

Eureka (7-15, 2-9 SLIAC) will next host Lake Forest (9-11, 2-1 Midwest Conference) in non-conference action on Tuesday at 5 p.m.