Tiger women get first SLIAC win

St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win Thursday evening, taking down the Red Devils of Eureka College. The Tigers came out strong, winning the first two sets 25-15 and 25-17. Eureka was able to keep the match alive, winning the second set 26-24. IW took an early lead in the final set and secured a 25-15 win for the 3-1 win.

In the first set of the night, both teams went back and forth early. The Tigers put together a run with the help of a kill by Sydney Ellsworth and three straight attack errors by the Red Devils which brought the score to 14-6 in favor of IW. Paige Kammerer had back to back aces to give Iowa Wesleyan a 20-9 lead, and two kills by Ellsworth put the Tigers at set point, 24-14. Allegra Collette finished out the set with a kill

Iowa Wesleyan took an early lead in the second set, scoring three straight points before Eureka ended the rally. Jordan Miller put the Tigers ahead 5-2 with a kill, and IW took a five point lead after a service error and back to back attack errors by the Red Devils. Eureka was able to get within one, but the Tigers scored two quick points to go up three. Iowa Wesleyan went on a run with the help of kills by Lida Landre Miranda Marshall and Sydney Ellsworth. Paige Kammerer had two service aces to bring the score to 18-11. With a kill by Landre and an attack error by Eureka, the Tigers held a 14-23 lead. They closed the second set with a kill by Allegra Collette and Paige Kammerer.

Eureka captured the lead early in the third set, but Iowa Wesleyan was able to stay within striking distance. Allegra Collette put down a kill to bring the score to 6-7 Eureka. They built a five point lead after a bad set, but Lida Landre had a kill to bring the score to 9-13. The Tigers trailed by six but they did not give in. Miranda Marshall and Grace Thomas came up with a big block and Kammerer followed with an ace to put IW within two points. Eureka had four straight attack errors late, which tied the set at 24-24. Iowa Wesleyan was unable to keep the momentum, and Eureka took the set 26-24 to give the Tigers a 2-1 advantage.

The fourth set was all Iowa Wesleyan from the start. They built a 4-0 lead before Eureka answered with three points of their own. The Tigers answered right back with nine straight points with the help of four kills by Lida Landre, two kills by Sidney Ellsworth, and two attack errors by the Red Devils. Eureka tried to get back into the set, but Iowa Wesleyan added another nine point rally to take a 22-9 advantage. Once again, the Red Devils tried to make a run, scoring five straight but it was too late in the match as the Tigers used an attack error and a kill by Sydney Ellsworth to take the set 25-15.

Landre and Ellsworth finished with 13 and 11 kills, respectively. Collette added seven kills for the Tigers. Kammerer had a team high 26 assists and 21 digs, and five service aces. Collette added two aces in the win.