Red Devils’ Season Ends at Blackburn, 3-0

CARLINVILLE, Ill. – The Eureka volleyball team's 2023 campaign came to an end with a 3-0 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss at Blackburn on Wednesday.

The final scores were 25-8, 25-11, 25-18.

Eureka's Katie Haffner (Lake Camelot, Ill./Illini Bluffs/Illinois College) tallied a season-high five kills while hitting .273 – a team-best among hitters. Halle Gauna (Arcola, Ill./Arcola/Lincoln Trail College) followed with four kills and Brittney Mekelburg (Johnstown, Colo./Roosevelt/St. Andrews) added three.

Hope McGinnes (Mackinaw, Ill./Deer Creek-Mackinaw/Lincoln) led the Red Devils in digs, recording 13. Payton Florine (Galesburg, Ill./Abingdon-Avon/Lincoln) also reached double-digits (10).

Mekelburg and La'Nya Love (East St. Louis, Ill./Cahokia/Lincoln) each had a block assist.

Blackburn earned its second 3-0 win of the season over the Red Devils while posting a .271 hitting percentage. Cara Pence recorded a team-high eight kills, and Tessa Funderburk notched 20 assists.

The Red Devils completed an injury-plagued fall with a 3-22 record overall and a 2-16 record in SLIAC play.

Wednesday was the last collegiate match for a strong senior class of six, which includes McGinnes, Daizjah Shannon (East St. Louis, Ill./Cahokia/Lincoln), Jurnee Flournoy (Decatur, Ill./Decatur MacArthur), Love, Mekelburg and Florine.