Eutectics Split First Day of HOA Challenge

ST. LOUIS, MO – The Eutectic men's volleyball team kicked off the Heart of America Challenge Tournament on Friday night splitting two matches against non-Conference "challengers" Governors State University (Ill.) and Brescia University (Ky.)

MATCH 1 RECAP:

To start the night, the UHSP team faced a tough challenge against Governors State (4-1), falling in straight sets. Despite the loss, the Eutectics displayed resilience, particularly in a thrilling second set that extended to extra points.

Set Scores: 25-19, 29-27, 25-18
UHSP Record: 1-1

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:

• Cameron Werner and Cooper Hansen led UHSP's attack with nine kills apiece.
• Demetrius Allen and RJ Dilks split setting duties, finishing with 15 and 11 assists, respectively.  
• Grant Hoover and Xander Quenzer provided a strong presence at the net, racking up three and four block assists (respectively) in the match.
• The Eutectics fought hard in the second set, pushing Governors State to extra points (29-27) but ultimately came up short.
• Pedro Castillo and Daniel Lopes of Governors State combined for 24 kills.

MATCH 2 RECAP:

The Eutectics then faced the Brescia Bearcats, who had just come off a 3-0 victory over Graceland University (Iowa) on Court 2. The Eutectics rolled through the first two sets with confidence, but experienced a little hiccup in the third, as Brescia got a jump on the lead early and held it. But, the Purple and Gold were able to regroup in the fourth set and finish the match with a 25-21 set victory.

Set Scores: 25-21, 25-19, 13-25, 25-21
UHSP Record: 2-1

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:

• The Eutectics kicked off the first set, attacking at an impressive 41.9%, converting 14 of 31 attempts.
• Eutectic blocking was effective, as the team combined for eight total blocks in the match. But, Brescia was equally frustrating for the Eutectics with their nine blocks.
• Xavier Gamayo was all over the court, picking up 13 digs, while Zach Gavrick also reached double digits in digs with 10.
• Grant Hoover put down 16 kills in the match, often fed by Dilks' 21 and Allen's 15 assists.
• Brescia's Tuna Kunukcu led all attackers with 20 kills.

UP NEXT:
The Eutectics will compete in Day 2 of the HOA Tournament on the UHSP campus on Saturday. Their first match will be against St. Ambrose University (Iowa) at 2 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. JV exhibition with Missouri Baptist University.