GALLOWAY, N.J. - Eastern University volleyball defeated host Stockton University, 3-2, and Haverford College, 3-1, in its first two matches of the Stockton University Tournament on Saturday. In the opening five-set win over Stockton, senior outside hitter Stephanie Elechko put away her 1,000th career kill.

The Eagles (13-0) earned the hard-fought win over the hosts in the opening match. Elechko led the way with 20 kills. She had four kills and two critical blocks in the decisive fifth set.

After dropping the first set 25-21, Eastern rallied back to capture the next two sets. The Eagles put away 13 kills in 25-19 second-set win and stifled the Ospreys attack in the third. Eastern picked up five critical points on blocks. Sarah Roberts had a pair of solo blocks, and Michelle Paulsen picked up two of her career-best ten blocks in the third set.

Elechko entered the second set needing only four kills to surpass the 1,000 mark. Eastern jumped out to a 5-2 lead behind three kills by Elechko. Leading 15-9 Stockton went on a two-point run to cut the deficit to 15-11 but on the ensuing serve after a dig Morgan Kline set the ball for Elechko who hammered it down to record career kill 1,000. Kline tallied the final kill of the set to knot the match at 1-1.

In the third set after an initial back and forth battle between both teams were tied at 8-8. Morgan Shemonski tallied a kill to spark a 10-1 run that stretched the Eagles lead to 18-9. Three different Eastern players recorded kills during the run while two different players, Alicia Weigel and Miranda Kauffman, both tallied service aces. Stockton rallied back to pull within five, 22-17, but three straight points by the Eagles including another kill by Elechko secured the win and gave Eastern the 2-1 advantage. 

After the Ospreys came back to tie the match in the fourth set Eastern claimed the decisive fifth set by the final score of 15-13. The Eagles jumped out to a 5-1 lead but saw Stockton rally back to tie the set at 12-12. Elechko tallied two kills over the final four points to deliver the victory for Eastern. 

In Eastern's second match of the day, the Eagles defeated Centennial Conference opponent Haverford College 3-1. Elechko and Weigle combined for 29 kills, 15 and 14 respectively, to lead the attack. 

The Eagles claimed the first set winning by two, 26-24. Eastern totaled 13 kills in the set to claim the win, 

After dropping the second set to the Fords 25-22, the Eagles battled back taking the next two in dominant fashion. Eastern won by scores of 25-16 and 25-13 to seal the victory. 

Overall, six different players recorded multiple kills in the match while Rylie Haas paced the Eastern defense with 29 digs. Shemonski and Roberts each tallied a block as well. 

Eastern will return to action tomorrow at 12 p.m. against the University of Mary Washington.