Eutectics battle through five with KWU; rip through Central Christian

SALINA, KS – A trip that began with a loss on Friday ended on a positive note as UHSP finished the road trip 2-1 after knocking off Kansas Wesleyan and Central Christian on Saturday afternoon. The Eutectics survived a tough five-setter against the Coyotes, rallying from a two-sets-to-one deficit to eventually find a way to win after claiming the decisive set 15-13. After that, UHSP rolled through a Central Christian team that they have never lost to, winning in straight sets as the Eutectics were efficient at the net while the Tigers had as many hitting errors as kills. Grant Hoover piled up 38 kills on the day to lead the Purple and Gold.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:

UHSP DEF. KANSAS WESLEYAN; 25-17, 24-26, 29-31, 25-23, 15-13

• The opening set was tight through the first 32 points and eventually all square at 16-16. A 5-0 run put the Eutectics on top 21-16 forging some degree of separation as the Eutectics scored four of the next five to win by a comfortable margin. Sylvan Block served out the final three points for UHSP in the opening set win.
• Early in the second, UHSP had KWU doubled up at 10-5. A couple of Nolan Rausch service aces pushed the lead to 13-6. The Eutectics were poised to take a two-sets-to-none lead at 24-19 when Kansas Wesleyan went on an improbable run winning seven straight points to claim the set at 26-24. Four of those final seven points were claimed by KWU thanks to UHSP hitting errors.
• After dropping the second, UHSP expectedly struggled at the start of the third at the Coyotes led 12-6. But the Eutectics battled back and eventually leveled the set at 17-17 and then took an 18-17 lead. Five ties later, it was 24-24 and headed to extra points. UHSP had three set points while KWU had two as the set was still even at 29-29. Again, it was UHSP hitting errors over the next two points that gave the Coyotes a 31-29 win.
• In the fourth, the Eutectics had leads of 4-1 and 9-6 before KWU scored five straight to lead 11-9. UHSP answered that with a 5-0 run of their own with Block on the service line to lead 14-11. A Grant Hoover kill made it 19-16 but the Coyotes again had a late surge scoring seven of the next eight to lead 23-20. This time it was the Eutectics being pushed to the brink, but a 5-0 set clinching run gave UHSP a 25-23 win. Cameron Werner had a kill, Block recorded an ace and the Coyotes had three hitting errors in the final five-point run. UHSP hit .290 in the set which was their highest in the match to that point. KWU had 11 kills in the set, but seven hitting errors.
• Both teams recorded set-bests for efficiency in the fifth as there were 19 total kills and only five errors. David Quiñones had a service run to start the set as UHSP built a 5-1 lead. At 11-8, the Coyotes scored three in a row to tie the fifth at 11-11. RJ Dilks set up Cooper Hansen and Grant Hoover for kills to put the Eutectics up a pair. After a KWU point, Dilks set up Hoover again to give UHSP match point. The Coyotes got one point closer on a Eutectic service error but Maxwell McVickers and Hoover turned aside the would-be tying point for Kansas Wesleyan and instead sealed the win for UHSP with a block.
• Grant Hoover had two dozen kills to lead the UHSP offense and connected at 24.1%. He added 14 digs and three block assists.
• Kansas Wesleyan used just seven players and were led by Conor Williams with 21 kills and 26.3% hitting percentage. He added 13 digs.
• Cameron Werner had an incredible 52.6% hitting percentage as he racked up 12 kills on 19 attacks having only two errors. He added four block assists.
• Dallas Manaku had 43 assists and 12 digs in a losing effort.
• Nolan Rausch had 23 assists and 11 digs and RJ Dilks added 19 assists. David Quiñones had a team-high 16 digs.
• UHSP improves to 5-2 all-time against the Coyotes.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:

UHSP DEF. CENTRAL CHRISTIAN; 25-15, 25-13, 25-23

• Set one was never close as the Eutectics stormed out to a 7-3 lead. The teams split the next 12 points as UHSP led 13-9. The Eutectics ripped off the next eight points to end all discussion in the opening set as they cruised to a 25-15 win as they hit .286 in the set. Central Christian had more errors (9) than kills (7) in the set.
• UHSP was even more dominant to open the second set. Grant Hoover had four kills, Jackson Brincks had three and Austin Ewens added another as the Eutectics sprinted to a commanding 12-3 lead. The Tigers managed to get within seven at 15-8 when the Eutectics scored six of the next seven for a 21-9 advantage. Dickson Colado played his first matches of the season in the Saturday twin-bill as he returned from injury. He finished off the second set with a service ace.
• Central Christian managed to hang around in the third as it was 16-15 Eutectics just past the midway point. The set was tied as each of the next seven possible junctures, lastly at 22-22. The final UHSP points all came on CCC errors as the Eutectics finished off the three-set sweep.
• Grant Hoover had 14 kills and hit .320 on the match. Jackson Brincks had four kills against one error and hit .273.
• Stephen Barnes led Central Christian with six kills but had nine hitting errors. He had four digs. Issac Cruz had 12 assists for the Tigers.
• David Quiñones had eight digs and four kills. RJ Dilks dished out 29 assists.
• UHSP moved to 5-0 all-time against Central Christian.

NEXT UP:

It is no rest for the weary as the Eutectics (5-3, 2-1 HEART) are right back at it on Tuesday. It will not be an easy task as an old nemesis comes to town in Missouri Baptist (7-5, 1-2 HEART) at 7:00p. After dropping four of their last six, the Spartans dropped out of the latest NAIA Top-15 poll, but were still Receiving Votes. After that, UHSP plays host to the 14^th-ranked team in the nation in Morningside on Friday.