Sports Briefs

SOCCER

Six Eagles earn All-Conference honors; Williams is top Big Sky offensive player for third year

Senior Chloe Williams can add three-time Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year to a long list of accomplishments throughout her time on the Eastern Washington University soccer team. She becomes the first player in Big Sky history to earn the award three times (2015, 2016, 2017), the conference announced on Oct. 31.

Williams was also one of four Eagles to be named to the All-Big first team. She becomes the school’s first-ever four-time All-Big Sky first team selection and just the third to accomplish the feat in Big Sky history.

The Eagles were well represented on the 2017 All-Big Sky team. A program-record four EWU players landed on the first team, while another two earned honorable mention nods as the conference announced its selections on Oct. 31.

A trio of seniors in M’Kenna Hayes, Aimie Inthoulay and Williams along with junior Jenny Chavez represented EWU on the first team. In addition, defenders Grace Klinkenberg and Lexi Klinkenberg were named Honorable Mention.

——

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Collective effort helps Eagles down Portland in exhibition

First-year Eastern Washington University men’s basketball coach Shantay Legans got his first glimpse of what “success by committee” looks like.

 Graduate transfer Benas Griciunas scored a team-high 18 points in leading the Eagles to a 76-70 victory over the University of Portland Oct. 29 at the Chiles Center in Portland, Ore., in an exhibition game benefitting the American Red Cross Hurricane Maria disaster relief efforts.

 Senior Sir Washington scored 16 points and had 11 key second-half points for EWU. Sophomore Mason Peatling chipped in 11, and Bogdan Bliznyuk scored in 10 with six assists and seven rebounds. The Eagles sank 13 3-pointers in the game and won the rebounding battle 43-38. 

“We played pretty good, and it was good for our team to go on the road and face some adversity against a good team,” Legans, who made his unofficial debut as head coach, said. “To be able to go up, lose the lead and then take the lead back and hold on down the stretch was good for us.” 

The game does not count in the season record or statistics for either team, but was a bonus in providing Legans an early glimpse of his first Eagle team.

——

VOLLEYBALL

Final home matches on tap for Eastern

With just four regular season matches remaining in the 2017 campaign, the Eastern Washington volleyball team will play its last matches at Reese Court this weekend. The Eagles play host to North Dakota on Nov. 2 and Northern Colorado on Nov. 3, with first serve set for 6 p.m. for both matches. Prior to Friday’s match, EWU will recognize seniors Megan LaFond, Ashley Seiler and Chloe Weber.

The Eagles traveled to Weber State for a Thursday night matchup before returning home to host local Big Sky rival Idaho. Eastern fell 3-0 in both contests.

In the loss to Weber State, Emma Dunn made her first career start and set a career-high 35 assists. Both Ashley Seiler and Megan LaFond garnered double-doubles for the second straight match. At home against the Vandals, the Eagles struggled and only hit .084 as a team while UI hit .330. Seiler led the team with 11 kills and nine digs.

 Eastern is 6-15 overall and 3-9 in the Big Sky Conference.

——