Undefeated Pirates Defeat Eutectics

PARKVILLE, MO. – The Eutectic men's volleyball team took on the undefeated No.2-ranked Park University Pirates (24-0, 15-0 HEART) on Friday night for the two teams' second Heart of America Athletic Conference (HEART) meeting this season. After falling 3-1 to the Pirates in February in the UHSP gymnasium, this time the Eutectics fell 3-0 in a road match at the Pirates' home court.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:

PARK DEF. UHSP 25-19, 25-14, 25-16

•  The Eutectics hung tough in the start of the match, tying the game at 5, 7, 8, 12, and 13 as just about every member of the UHSP offense recorded a kill against Park and David Quinones notched an ace. The Pirates, however, eventually took the lead for good at 14-13, finding their groove towards the end of the set by winning five of the last six points to win the set 25-19. The Eutectics had their best attacking percentage of the night in Set 1, hitting at .318. But, the Pirates were even better, recording 19 kills on 26 attempts for a .692 attacking percentage.
• After two kills from Grant Hoover and five Pirate errors, the Eutectics held a 7-6 lead in Set 2. The Pirates then went on a 14-3 scoring run, highlighted by three blocks, to take a 20-10 lead that UHSP could not overcome. Park won the set at 25-14 with a .522 hitting percentage while holding the Eutectics to .000.
• The Eutectics struggled with errors early in Set 3, falling behind 6-3, then 11-6. The Pirates bombarded the UHSP with .571 attacking percentage while setting up intimidating blocks that held the Eutectics to negative numbers. The Pirates secured the match with back-to-back kills in the 25-16 Set 3 win.
• Grant Hoover collected 10 kills on 29 attempts to lead the Eutectics. Nolan Rausch put up 19 assists, and UHSP's three service aces came from Hoover, Quinones, and Rausch.

UP NEXT:

Now 10-15 overall and 6-11 in the HEART, the Eutectics will remain on the road through Saturday, when they play a non-Conference tri-match at Avila University in Kansas City, Mo., including Avila at 11 a.m. and Central Christian College at 1 p.m..