LA GRANDE, Ore - EOU got off to a blazing start in Saturday's contest against Lewis-Clark State College.
Ashton Haughton,
Madison Morgan, and
Sade Williams led the offensive line-up with 4, 5, and 7 kills respectively in the first set. LCSC had an evenly spread offensive, with Juliauna Forgach Agu, Karissa Lindner, Missy Mortensen, and Gianna Anderson each recording 3 kills. On the defensive end, Missy Mortensen and Juliauna Forgach Agu showcased her blocking skills with 3 blocks each for LCSC. Despite LCSC's efforts, EOU managed to clinch the set with a scoreline of 25-21.
The second set saw LCSC's Juliauna Forgach Agu hammering down 6 kills. However, her performance was overshadowed by EOU's
Sade Williams, who continued her impressive night by contributing at least 7 kills for her team. The balanced offensive display by EOU allowed them to overcome a 10-18 deficit and eventually win the match 25-21.
LCSC pushed into a tight third set, but
Ashton Haughton countered with 4 kills, supported by
Emma Burlingame,
Mylie Mills, and others. EOU clinched another 25-21 win, sealing the match with a 3-set victory.
Sade Williams led the Mounties in this contest, recording 14 kills from 28 attempts and a hitting percentage of .393.
Ashton Haughton followed closely with 13 kills from 27 attempts. The playmaking was orchestrated by
Alexis McMurtrey who provided 23 assists, with
Hannah Ledgerwood adding another 17 assists to the tally.
Hailey Arritola showcased her all-around skills, contributing both defensively with 17 digs and in the service game with 2 service aces. Eastern Oregon's consistent and balanced team performance was evident in their superior hitting percentage of .215 over the match.
For Lewis-Clark State, Juliauna Forgach Agu was an offensive force, registering 11 kills from 37 total attempts with a .216 hitting percentage. However, the team struggled overall with a hitting percentage of just .132 over the three sets. The defensive efforts were led by Missy Mortensen, who notched a notable 7 blocks for the team, and Kenzie Dean, who delivered 16 digs. Esther Kailiponi also made a significant contribution in the playmaking department with 14 assists.
The Mounties will head to the western half of the state when they face off against Corban University September 29th at 7:00 p.m.
