UHSP Goes to Four Sets in Both Friday Matches at Eutectics Classic

The Eutectic women's volleyball team welcomed five teams to the UHSP campus to compete in the 2023 Eutectics Classic volleyball tournament starting on Friday night and continuing through Saturday. The event schedule includes six matches each day, with two matches taking place at once on a divided UHSP gymnasium floor.

In the first of their two matches on Friday, the Eutectics took on Tabor College (5-5) of Hillsboro, Kan. The two teams matched up closely, with UHSP coming from behind to even the score at 10-10. Then, a kill from Macy Hendrix and two key aces from Kathryn Trickey gave the Euts a lead that they refused to give up, winning the first set on the fifth set-point at 25-23. The Eutectics rode the momentum into the second set, taking a 7-2 lead at the start. Tabor, however, then took advantage of eight UHSP errors to go on a 12-1 scoring run that took the wind right out of the Eutectics' sails. Tabor would even the set score at one apiece with a 25-19 second set win.

The third set was close until the Tabor Bluejays offense took control at 13-11 to win 12 of the next 14 points and win the set at 25-13. Like the previous set, the score was close early on in the fourth, with the lead changing hands several times. But, like the previous set, the Bluejay offense decided to take charge at 8-8, pulling ahead 18-11 and then 21-13 before finally clinching the match with a 25-17 fourth-set victory.

Fiona Sampaio led the Tabor team with nine kills, three block assists, and three service aces. Kenna Brandes picked up 27 digs and Emma Rhodes had 28 assists. For the Eutectics, Amber Loo and Hannah Burch led the front line with nine kills apiece. Loo and Sumanpreet Kaur each recorded two block assists. Kira Cid, Josie Barrand, Kathryn Trickey, Jenna Brinson, and Macy Hendrix all reached double digits in digs, while Brinson put up 24 assists.

The Eutectics returned to the court to face the Friends University Falcons (3-11) of Wichita, Kan., for their second and final match of the night. After the Eutectics took a 16-11 lead in Set 1, the Falcons evened it up with five points in a row (16-16). The Euts regained a 20-17 lead, but the Falcons gave a final push to surpass the Euts and win 25-22. In Set 2, the score was tied 10 times. At 17-17, Friends scored three points in a row to take a 20-17 lead. UHSP fought off four set points to tie the score at 24-24, but ultimately lost the set with two errors on the final points, 26-24.

The Euts trailed 5-1 in Set 3,but were able to tie it at 6-6 off two kills from Amber Loo and several Falcon errors. Friends regained the lead at 15-10, but, again, the Purple and Gold fought back to tie it at 20-20 and then took the lead on a Falcon error. Macy Hendrix served out the set with Darlene Zediker's kill sealing the 25-21 win for the Euts. Despite the UHSP third-set rally, the Falcons grabbed the momentum to take a 5-0 lead in the fourth set and extended that lead to 12-5, then 20-9, attacking at 48% in the set. The Eutectics barely made it into double digits before Friends clinched the match with a 25-11 fourth-set win.

Samantha Johnson led the Falcons with 20 kills, often set up by Antonia Perier and Emmah Sultz, who combined for 36 assists. Greeley Munroe picked up 19 digs and three aces, while McKenzie Shurley assisted with four blocks. For the Eutectics, Amber Loo racked up 15 kills, while Jenna Brinson set up 26 assists, Josie Barrand picked up 19 digs, and Darlene Zediker had four block assists and one solo.

Now 0-2 in the tournament, the Eutectics will be back in the UHSP gymnasium on Saturday morning at 9, when they take on Georgetown College (2-0) of Georgetown, Ky. UHSP will finish out the tournament with a match against College of the Ozarks (1-1) at 1 p.m.