ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa.- Eastern University Volleyball (26-5) closed its
regular season with a pair of three-set wins at Elizabethtown College.
The Eagles topped Freedom Conference foe FDU-Florham in three quick sets
in the morning match and came back to best the host Blue Jays in the
second match. Lauren Sproles led three Eastern players in double-figure
kills in the second match.
The No. 21 Eagles jumped to a 10-2 lead
in the opening set against FDU (4-20). That lead grew to 15 points at
20-5. Eastern held on to win the first set 25-13. The Eagles only had
time to make one full rotation in the second set as they hit .429 for a
25-6 win in set number two. The Eagles cruised to a 25-10 win in the
third set. Rachel Wenger led the way with 11 kills on 17 swings. Kearby
Benak hit .700 with seven kills and Taylor Proffitt put away six kills.
Kelly Groff had ten more digs (16) than FDU had kills.
Eastern
faced a much stiffer test in the second set. Elizabethtown (20-12) led
6-4 in the early going, and the two teams exchanged side outs until the
Eagles grabbed control of the set with a four points earned on serve to
go up 17-11. That lead held as both teams were able to side-out with
efficiency to a 25-18 score.
Lauren Sproles pounded out five kills
on seven attempts to pace the Eagles to a 25-13 win in the second
set.The Eagles hit a commanding.394 in the second set. The Jays made the
third set very interesting. Eastern hit just .191 for the set with eight
hitting errors. Elizabethtown, meanwhile had a couple of blocks, 19
digs, and three aces. Eastern emerged with the 25-23 win in the set
behind six kills from Kearby Benak and five from Sproles. Kelly Groff,
playing in her final regular season match as an Eagle, led the Eastern
defense with 25 digs. The senior is now 77 digs shy of 2000 for her
career.
Rachel Wenger, also playing in her final regular-season
match, had seven kills without an error and a block. Wenger, who was
named Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year as right-side hitter has
made the transition to middle hitter in the past two seasons. She has
942 kills in her career.
The Eagles will honor their two seniors
prior to their Freedom Conference Semifinal Match against Misericordia
on Wednesday night. With inclement weather leading to cancellation of
classes at many schools, there is the possibility of schedule changes.
Check goeasterneagles.com or follow EUEagles on Twitter for up to the
minute updates on Freedom Championship schedules.
FDU Box
Elizabethtown Box
