Euts Fall to Mustangs in Epic Battle for First AMC Win

ST. LOUIS, MO. - The Eutectic women's volleyball team battled the Central Baptist College Mustangs (1-5, 1-0 AMC) of Conway, Ark., for the first American Midwest Conference (AMC) match of the season on Friday in St. Louis. After four sets, the teams were tied a 2-2, then went into extra points in the deciding set before the Mustangs emerged victorious with an 18-16 fifth-set.   

The Eutectics won the first two points of the match off a couple of attack errors by the Mustangs. But, the CBC team quickly righted themselves and surged ahead to a six-point lead (16-10) after a kill and two UHSP errors. Then, the Mustangs cemented the set victory by earning eight of the final 10 points of the first set for a solid win at 25-15.

The Eutectics jumped out to a quick lead in the second set and never looked back. Early service aces from Olivia Abshire, Macy Hendrix, and Hannah Duggan helped give the Euts a 13-6 lead. Later on in the set, the Mustangs marked three aces of their own and put themselves right back in the mix, down 23-21. A UHSP kill from Tera Schumacher (set by Jenna Brinson) gave the Euts set point, and a CBC error finished off the set in favor of the home team at 25-21.

The Mustangs returned with a vengeance in the third set, however, stringing together 12 points in a row including three kills from Madeline Freeman. The Purple and Gold were never able to recover from the deficit, struggling with attack errors and serve receives. The Visitors took the set at 25-12 to go up two sets to one in the match.

But, the Eutectics would not go down without a fight. After Sophia Michaud put down two kills (assisted by Brinson) to start the fourth set, the Mustangs won six of the next seven points to go up 6-3. The Eutectics, down 9-7,  won four points in a row off two more kills from Michaud and two CBC errors to take the lead at 11-9. AnnMarie Cates' service extended that lead to 18-10 as she served up two aces and Michaud earned two more kills. At 21-15, the Mustangs made a late challenge, winning the next six points off five kills and a UHSP error to tie it at 21 apiece. At 23-23, the Eutectics earned the final two points of the set off yet another kill from Michaud and a block by Sumanpreet Kaur and AnnMarie Cates to win 25-23 and force the final deciding fifth set.

Cates started the shortened set off with a bang for the Purple and Gold, knocking down three aces in a row. The Mustangs eventually got their feet back under themselves, tying the game at 3-3. For a long stretch after that, neither team held a lead of more than one point as they battled for the fate of the match. Tied at 10-10, CBC put together two points for a 12-10 lead. The teams then traded two points apiece with UHSP trailing and tying it up until, with the Mustangs up 15-14, a surprise attack from Brinson, followed by a CBC attack error gave the Euts a 16-15 lead. The Mustangs took a timeout and returned to the floor to win the next three points in a row off three strong kills to win the set at 18-16 and clinch the set.

Tera Schumacher and Sophia Michaud each reached double figures for kills in the match with 15 and 13, respectively. Setter Jenna Brinson finished the match with 41 assists, libero Macy Hendrix racked up 33 digs, and AnnMarie Cates knocked down five aces.

The Eutectics now have a record of 3-16 overall and 0-1 in the Conference as they head into another AMC matchup tomorrow. UHSP will host AMC newcomer Mission University (7-5, 1-0 AMC) from Springfield, Mo., on Saturday at 12 p.m. in St. Louis.