Eutectic Volleyball Season Ends in Second Round of KIAC Tourney
Ashley McKinley Named to All-Conference Team

On Thursday, November 12th, in Wilmore, Ky., the Eutectic Volleyball Team easily dispatched
of Berea College in three sets 25-11, 25-12, 25-4 to advance in the KIAC Tournament.  STLCOP
hit .361 in the match and was led by third-year Hannah Tucker's perfect seven kills in seven
attempts. The Euts had 10 service aces to go along with ten kills.

Returning conference champions, Indiana-East, were waiting to take on the Euts in the second
round of the tournament. The regular season champion Red Wolves struggled in set one 25-23
before coming back to flex their muscle in sets two and three 25-17, 25-13.

For the second-year in a row, second-year Ashley McKinley was named to the KIAC
All-Tournament Team for her stellar performance on the court. Despite sitting out several
matches due to injury, McKinley was ranked in the KIAC in six statistical categories
including fourth for kills/set (2.6) and fifth for blocks/set (0.8). She finished the season
leading the Euts in kills and kill percentage as well as service aces.

First-year libero Deann Lawin was ranked 2nd in the conference for digs/set at 5.7 and
third-year Hannah Tucker was ranked third in the conference for blocks/set at 0.9.

The Eutectics finished the season 2-7 in the conference and 10-22 overall.   

Eutectic Volleyball Team Places Second at STLCOP Tournament
Ashley McKinley Named to All-Tournament Team

The Eutectics won four matches in a row to make it to the St. Louis College of Pharmacy Volleyball Tournament Championship match on Saturday, Oct.17. 

On Friday, Oct. 16, the Euts won tough battles against St. Louis Community College at Meramec (23-25, 25-18, 25-17,

Ashley McKinley

25-23) and Midway College (25-23, 25-14, 20-25, 17-25, 15-8). 

Going into Saturday with two wins in the round-robin tournament kept the Euts' players confidence high. In their third match of the tournament, the Euts defeated Stephens College (26-24, 25-20, 20-25, 25-20), which guaranteed their entry into the championship match later that day. Still, the Eutectics had one more match to play before the championship. That match against Harris-Stowe State University added yet another four-set win for the Eutectics (22-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-22), but added to the team's fatigue.

In the championship match, the Eutectics faced St. Louis Community College at Meramec yet again. Having only played one match on Saturday, the Meramec Magic team was fresh, and, despite having beat the Magic earlier in the tournament, the five-set championship match proved too much for th Eutectics, who lost 25-18, 19-25, 25-22, 13-25, 15-11. The Euts took home the tournament's second-place trophy.

Second-year Eutectic Ashley McKinley earned All-Tournament Team honors. McKinley led the team in kills averaging 2.85 kills per set. She also had 2.19 digs per set. Currently, McKinley is fourth in the conference in kills/set (2.6) and third in blocks/set (0.8).

Volleyball Team Wins Conference Match 

The Eutectic volleyball team handily took down conference foe Berea College when the Euts hosted the Mountaineers at

the Pillbox on Saturday, Oct. 3. After a tough five-set loss to Principia College at home on Friday, the Euts came back ready to play on Saturday afternoon defeating Berea 25-12, 25-7, and 25-9. Second-year captain Ashley McKinley put down seven kills in the match, while first-year libero Deann Lawin had 10 digs. Third-year Hannah Tucker led the team with five service aces, and fourth-year Lauren Heimberger and second-year Stephanie Chen shared setting duties with five assists each.

Several Eutectics are ranked in the top five in the conference for individual statistics. McKinley is ranked second in the KIAC for blocks per set, averaging 0.9, and third in kills per set (2.7). Lawin is third for digs per set (4.2), and Tucker is fourth in blocks per set, averaging 0.8.   

The Eutectics are now 4-10 on the season with 16 matches left before the KIAC tournament November 13-14.

 

Young Team and New Coaches in 2008 Set Good Tone for 2009

As the 2008 season came to a close, those tracking the Eutectic volleyball team pinned high expectations on next year’s team. With only first- and second-year players on the roster this fall, new coaches Randi Tyler and Ryan Young hope to have laid the groundwork for a successful 2009 season. With all current players returning, the coaches hope to have developed a chemistry with the team that will carry over to next year with the addition of incoming freshmen players.

The Eutectic team finished the season at Berea College (Berea, Ky.) in the KIAC championship tournament without two starters due to class obligations. The team lost in the first round of the conference tournament against tournament semi-finalist Indiana University Southeast on Nov. 14. The STLCOP team finished the 2008 season with a respectable 3-5 record in the conference and a 9-13 record overall. In addition to McKinley, STLCOP boasted other individuals in the KIAC top 10 statistical categories including first-year Laura Pitt (ranked first for blocks), second-year Ally Durchholz (ranked third for service aces), and first-year A.J. Jordan (ranked sixth for assists).