Don't look now, but the Eutectics are 4-0!

(Photo courtesy of Makenzie Ness)

ST. LOUIS, MO - Well, well, well! How about this start to the season for the Eutectics men's volleyball team?! After just the first two days of the new season, UHSP is just two wins away from matching their most wins in a single season in program history as they swept another doubleheader on day two of the Heart of America Challenge to remain undefeated through the season's first four matches. UHSP began the day by knocking off St. Ambrose, 25-20, 25-13, 25-16 then dispatched Calumet College of St. Joseph, 25-21, 25-12, 25-. The Eutectics record of six wins in a single season was set last year when they went 6-22 as they also recorded the programs first-ever three match win streak. They have already bested that win streak mark by one and can add on to that in their next match next weekend.

In the opening match for the Eutectics, there were eight ties within the first 12 possible junctures. Up until 12-12, UHSP had the lone four-point run thanks in part to a pair of aces and a kill from Marcus Parker and St. Ambrose had a pair of three-point stretches. The Eutectics then had a 3-0 run to go up 15-12 and another solid stretch where they scored seven of 11 to take a commanding 23-17 lead. A pair of Fighting Bees errors delivered the set to UHSP, 25-20. The second set looked much like the opener early as there were five ties within the first possible eight spots. Marcus Parker stepped behind the service line and pounded out six straight service points as part of a 7-0 surge to lead to a 15-8 advantage. After the two clubs traded eight-point, Parker had a kill and Grant Hoover had two big kills to pad the lead for the Eutectics as Cole Cwiklowski delivered three assists in succession to make it 22-12. That trio teamed up to close out the set as Cwiklowski and Parker had kills and Hoover served an ace as UHSP won the second, 25-13. The third set was all Eutectics as they slowly built the lead and pulled away in a set they never trailed. Cooper Hansen registered four kills in the set and Dickson Colado added three as USHP ran away with a 25-16 set win.

For the match, UHSP recorded a hitting percentage of .329 with 36 kills in 76 attempts. The Eutectics delivered 11 aces to three for SAU. Grant Hoover racked up a dozen kills in the match while Xavier Gamayo had 14 digs. Cole Cwiklowski quarterbacked the offense to the tune of 33 assists.

In the second match, UHSP dominated Calumet College of St. Joseph in straight sets. Dickson Colado recorded the first three kills for the home club in a set that early on featured numerous errors by both clubs. Colado delivered another kill and Connor Behymer added an ace in the middle of the set during a 4-0 run that gave UHSP a 14-11 lead. It was tight the rest of the way out, but kills from Cameron Werner, Connor Behymer and a pair from Colado led to a 25-21 set one win. Dickson, Hoover and Parker were up to their usual damage at the net early in set two with Cwiklowski distributing the ball around as UHSP assembled a 10-5 lead. After CCSJ took three of the next four points, the Euts scored six straight with Werner starting the run with a power kill and Cwiklowski capping it with an ace. It was an offensive show by the Eutectics as they buried the Crimson Wave 25-12 in the second as a Connor Behymer kill put the set away. The Eutectics were riding all kinds of emotion and momentum into the third and 22 points in, UHSP led 12-10. The Purple and Gold ripped off three different three point runs in a stretch of taking nine out of 11 points to lead 21-12. Connor Behymer again ended the set just like in the second with a power kill and the Eutectics had themselves a perfect weekend.

UHSP had their worst hitting day of the weekend against Calumet and still swung with a .282 hitting percentage. Dickson Colado had 11 kills and Grant Hoover added eight. Cwiklowski delivered 30 assists in the match while Xavier Gamayo dug up a match-high ten balls.

The Eutectics (4-0) are idle until next weekend when the Ottawa Braves comes to the UHSP Gym for a 2:00p start.