Eutectics close out season with fourth straight win

LAMONI, IA – In what turned out to be the season finale for the Eutectics, they dominated a struggling Graceland bunch on Saturday afternoon to finish the season on a four-game winning streak. UHSP ran through the Yellowjackets in straight sets, 25-10, 25-22, 25-16. Grant Hoover again led an offense that connected for 35 total kills at a 28.4% clip as Hoover put down a dozen by himself in the win. The game did not require a huge defensive performance by the Eutectics as Graceland ended up with a negative attack percentage as they had more total errors than kills.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

UHSP DEF. GRACELAND; 25-10, 25-22, 25-16

• UHSP raced out to a convincing 16-4 lead in the opening set. Hoover had a service run of five points and Cameron Werner served four in a row to build that lead. The Eutectics had ten kills and five service aces in the opening set as Graceland was never able to challenge falling behind early and finishing the set with only five kills against eight hitting errors.
• In the second set, Graceland took their first lead of the entire match at 5-4 on a hitting error by the Purple and Gold. UHSP promptly scored five in a row at that point to take a 9-5 lead including kills from Hoover and Xander Quenzer along with a trio of Jacket errors. At 10-6, Graceland scored four straight to tie the match. That was the last time either team managed to score more than two in a row the remainder of the set. Cooper Hansen had three kills the rest of the way in the tightest set of the day.
• The Yellowjackets had an early 2-1 lead in the third. That advantage coupled with their one lead in the second were the only three times in the match that Graceland held a lead. At 2-1, UHSP took the next points and ten of the next 11 to gain control of the set. Hoover had four kills in those ten points. Preston Coburn recorded the final point of the season getting a kill that closed out the match.
• UHSP's RJ Dilks had more assists by himself (26) than Graceland had as a team (21). Dilks was one of three Eutectics with seven digs.
• Dickson Colado had eight kills and two blocks while Cooper Hansen recorded seven kills.
• Christopher Sawyer and Elijah Kline had a team-leading six kills for Graceland.
• AJ Rasquero had a match-high 13 digs for the Yellowjackets.
• Xavier Gamayo paced UHSP with 11 digs.
• Graceland saw their losing streak extend to 18-straight games. They finish their season Tuesday against Morningside.

UP NEXT:

The Eutectics (13-16, 6-12 HEART) wrap up the season in the fifth spot in the Heart's South Division. They will miss out on a spot in the Heart Conference Tournament as the top four in each division will advance to the postseason tournament.