CHENEY, Washington — The 2024 Eastern Washington women’s volleyball team took to the court for the first time on Saturday afternoon, hosting Central Washington in an exhibition match. The Eagles
Kalista Lukovich led the Eagles on offense with 16 kills and 13 digs for a double-double. On defense Makenna Collins recorded 26 excavations and Alyssa Radke collected eight blocks.

Central Washington took an early lead, but Eastern Washington (EWU) held on. Despite scoring 10 equalizers, EWU was unable to overcome Central’s lead and lost 25-21.

EWU took a 7-2 lead thanks to the impressive serve of Sadie Bacon and central blocks of Bri Gunderson and Radke. Although Central narrowed the gap to two points, EWU extended its lead to five and eventually won 25-22 with Quincy Morgan and delivered the last two kills.

Eastern Washington took control with a dominant performance. Lukovich inspired the team with two aces on points 17 and 18. EWU extended its lead to 22-15 and maintained its lead by winning the set 25-17 with a decisive block from Tanya Jenkins and Radke.

The fourth set was a back-and-forth affair. EWU had a narrow lead before Central Washington tied the score at 24-24 with a 7-1 run. Central narrowly won the set 26-24 to tie the game at 2-2.

Central Washington took an early 8-5 lead, but EWU fought hard to close the gap. Despite their best efforts, Central won the fifth set 15-13 and the match 3-2.

It was an exciting game that showcased the resilience and skill of both teams, with Central ultimately emerging victorious in the final set.

Next
Eastern Washington opens the regular season at the Utah Valley Tournament, where they will play three games on August 30-31. Eastern begins Friday against host Utah Valley, followed by Cal State Bakersfield later that day. The tournament concludes Saturday against UMKC.

 

ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 varsity sports, six for men and eight for women, both as a learning opportunity for the most athletically gifted students and as an enrichment of student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollment numbers and academic goals.

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