Box Score Box Score | Final Results
CHENEY, Wash. - Idaho State (6-6, 1-1 BSC) split its first weekend of Big Sky matches when the Bengals fell to Eastern Washington (6-6, 2-0 BSC) in five sets (25-16, 11-25, 25-20, 25-27, 15-12) at Reese Court Saturday night. It is ISU's first five set loss of the season falling to 2-1. Setter Lori Mendenhall and outside hitter
Danielle Downs both recorded double-doubles in the match.
"Both teams had their moments," said Teichert. "Eastern Washington really hustled in the fith set and we competed hard as well. It was a pretty good effort."
Eastern Washington took the first and third sets going into the tiebreaker while the Bengals had the second and fourth sets. ISU had its chances to come from behind in the tiebreaker including tying the fifth set at 11. Two kills by Shelby Puckett sealed the deal for the Eagles.
Mendenhall, a sophomore, recorded her fifth straight double-double with 34 assists and 13 digs while Downs, a redshirt freshman, notched her fifth double-double of the season with a team-high 13 kills and 10 digs.
Idaho State's defense kept the Bengals in the match with five players in double-figure digs while hitting a .102 attack percentage.
"We've got to hit the ball better. I don't think we hit well enough, passed well enough or set well enough," said Head Coach
Chad Teichert of the difference in maker in the match. "We did a lot of good things but the small differences in the match cost us."
Eastern Washington hit just a smidge better than the Bengals at a .191 attack percentage but had three players in double-figures led by Cora Kellerman with a match-high 18 kills from 44 attacks and zero errors for a .409 attack percentage. Eastern Washington's Pucket and Ashley Wright each had 14 kills.
"They had a couple of hitters one very effective and the other had a really good arm that hurt us," said Teichert.
Redshirt freshman libero Kylee Searle led the Bengals with a team-high and career-high 25 digs. Searle also notched a game-high eight service aces. Junior
Breanne Van Every and sophomore
Katie Grajewski each chipped in 14 digs. Grajewski's 14 digs was a career-high.
The Bengals put together back-to-back season-high service ace performances with eight at Portland State and again against Eastern Washington.
Senior
Vanessa Muir had seven kills and seven block assists and one solo block to tie the match-high with Eagle Amanda Brown. Muir's eight total blocks was a career-high. The Bengals were out-blocked 12-to-9 as a team. Freshman Alydia Fields contributed to the ISU offense with seven kills and led the team with a .278 attack percentage.
"Hopefully we have the right mind set after this match and work our tails off between now and Weber State," said Teichert.
Idaho State hosts its home opener against Big Sky foe Weber State on Friday, Sept. 23 at Reed Gym at 7 p.m.
