NACOGDOCHES – On their fourth match point of a thrilling fifth set, the Eastern Washington Eagles sunk the Texas A&M University-Commerce volleyball team, 21-19, in the deciding set to collect a 3-2 win in Shelton Gym to close out the Hampton Inn Classsic, hosted by Stephen F. Austin. The set scores on Saturday morning were 25-20, 19-25, 20-25, 25-15, and 21-19.
 
A&M-Commerce was led by career-high 19 kills from Reese Fetty (Farmersville), missing a double-double by just one dig. The Lions received a double-double from Celeste Vela (Guadalajara, Mexico), who recorded 48 assists, 13 digs, two kills, and three blocks. Lyric Hebert (Arvada, Colo.) had 22 digs. Maddy Rashford (Placentia, Calif.) had 13 kills, six digs, and two blocks.
 

COACH CRAIG CASE AFTER THE MATCH
 
The Lions took the first two points in their first fifth set of the season, but the Eagles bounced back with four straight points. Two straight kills by Fetty tied the set at four and the Lions had the mini advantage leading 8-7 as the teams switched sides. Eastern Washington broke through and led 13-11, but the Lions tied the set on kills by Rashford and Fetty.
 
An attacking error by the Lions gave Eastern Washington its first match point, but the service by the Eagles went out of bounds. They got their second opportunity to go home with the win on another attacking error, but this time, the service went into the net. The Lions had their first match point at 16-15, but lost it on a kill by EWU. An assisted block by Taryn Cast (Peaster) and Vela gave the Lions their second chance to win the match, but an attacking error tied the match.
 
A kill by Cast gave the Lions their third match point, but the Eagles took the next two points for their third chance to win the match. An attacking error tied the match once again. Eastern Washington finally closed out the match by getting to its fourth match point on a kill and blocked the Lions for the 21-19 win.
 
Saturday was the first five-set match for the Lions this season, who played six five-setters last season, going 2-4 in those fifth sets. The loss drops the Lions to 3-10 on the season, while the Eagles went 2-1 this weekend and are 5-7 overall.
 
The Eagles built a 7-1 lead in the first set, the Lions did pull to 10-7 on an ace by Hebert, but they were never able to come within one point of Eastern Washington in the set, who hit .324 with just three unforced errors, taking the set, 25-20.
 
Both teams alternated the first 18 points of the second set, the Lions led 4-2, but never trailed by more than one. A 4-0 run on two attacking errors, an assisted block by Vela and Yasmin Figueiredo (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), and a kill by Figueiredo, created some separation. Rashford delivered a kill to give the Lions a 19-14 lead and started a 3-0 run to lead by seven. Two bad sets and an attacking error brought the Eagles within four, but the Lions leveled the match on two kills by Rashford and an assisted block from Vela and Figueiredo on set point. The duo had three blocks each.  
 
Eastern Washington took the first point of the third set and remained a point ahead in the early back-and-forth battle. The Eagles built a 9-4 lead, but the Lions responded with four straight points thanks to three attacking errors and a kill by Vela. The Lions pulled even at 10-10 on a kill by Millie Allgood (Sherwood, Ark.).
 
The Eagles remained upfront until a 6-1 run by the Lions gave them a 22-18 lead. Eastern Washington used both its timeouts of the set during that run. A kill by Fetty gave the Lions a set point at 24-19, the Eagles saved the first point, but a kill by Rashford gave them a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
An early 7-7 tie turned into a 17-9 lead for the Eagles in the fourth set, who cruised through the set, hitting .310 with just one attacking error to force a deciding set.
 
Cast posted nine kills, five blocks, and four digs, while Ashley Pennington (Frisco – Liberty) had 14 digs. For the Eagles, Sage Brustad had 21 kills.
 
UP NEXT
Southland Conference play begins at McNeese on Thursday at 6 p.m. for the Lions, who host their first match of the season next Saturday at 1 p.m. against Lamar.