Euts Fall in Four Sets on Senior Day
Five seniors from the Eutectic women's volleyball team were honored before the home match on Saturday versus Central Baptist College from Conway, Ark. Seniors Josie Barrand, Gillian Lemons, Sydney Smith, Kathryn Trickey, and Darlene Zediker all pitched in for the Eutectics, who took one set off the CBC Mustangs (12-10, 3-3 AMC) but ultimately fell 25-17, 25-23, 23-25, 25-15 in American Midwest Conference (AMC) action.
CBC started off hot, going up 7-0 in Set 1 off five kills and an ace. Back-to-back kills from Darlene Zediker capped off a four-point run by the Eutectics to get them back in the set at 7-4, but the Euts could never quite catch up. Up 23-12, the Mustangs committed four attacking errors in a row to give the Euts a boost, but it was not enough. CBC took the first set 25-17.
After a 4-4 tie in the second set, the Eutectics found themselves down 7-4 once again. This time is was Amber Loo who put down back-to-back kills, tying the score at 9-9. CBC followed that up with an attacking error to put the Euts in the lead for the first time in the match. Down 18-16, the Mustangs recovered with a five-point scoring run during Sheridan Rogers' service to go up 21-18. Kills from Loo and Sumanpreet Kaur helped the Purple and Gold tie the score at 21 apiece, but CBC's Madeline Freeman and Faith Stone put down kills of their own to take the final lead for CBC, who would close out the set 25-23.
The start of the third set was as close as they come. By the time the score was 6-6, there had been six ties. After a four-point run, UHSP was able to pull ahead at 15-11, but the Mustangs followed up quickly with their own three-point run. With both teams commonly utilizing surprise dumps and attacks on second touches, the play was fast and furious, but the Euts managed to keep the upper hand. Eventually, CBC put together three points in a row (two kills and an ace from Molly Murphy) to tie the score at 22 apiece. After trading points, the Eutectics won the final two points from an Amber Loo kill set up by Jenna Brinson followed by an ace by Josie Barrand to close out the third set in the home team's favor at 25-23 and force a fourth set.
The score was close again early in Set 4. After an 8-8 tie, however, the Eutectics made two errors in a row, allowing the Mustangs to take the lead for good. Down 20-13, the Euts took a time out to break up a three-point streak by CBC. But, the visitors were able to win four of the final five points to win the set at 25-15 and clinch the match at 4-1.
Darlene Zediker notched 11 kills for the Eutectics, with many of those kills set up by Jenna Brinson, who finished with 31 assists. Brinson, Josie Barrand, and Amber Loo each reached double figures for digs, totaling 33 of UHSP's 60 digs between the three. Barrand collected four service aces, while Zediker picked up six block assists.
Madeline Freeman earned a triple double for the Mustangs, recording 17 kills, 17 assists, and 10 digs.
The Eutectics, now 3-25 overall and 2-5 in the Conference, will continue with AMC competition for their next matchup. The UHSP team will host William Woods University (Mo.) on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. in the UHSP gymnasium.