Eastern volleyball beat the University of Missouri Tigers 3-0 to advance to a 10-0 record on Thursday evening in Lantz Arena.
On the last point of the night, sophomore setter Sylvia Hasz served for the Panthers.
Mizzou’s junior libero, Lauren Forbes, kept the ball in play for freshman setter Sierra Dudley to put sophomore right side/middle hitter Kimani Johnson in a perfect position to keep the game alive for the Tigers.
As Johnson spiked the ball over the net, Hasz kept the play alive for the Panthers and bumped the ball to sophomore setter Catalina Rochaix.
Rochaix set the ball up to the left side for senior outside hitter Giovana Larregui López.
Larregui López killed the ball over the net and in the center of the court before Forbes could get to the ball.
Panthers’ Head Coach Sara Thomas said she was content and enjoying the present moment during the final play of the night.
“I am always just staying in that moment,” Thomas said. “Not looking forward, not looking back and trying to keep the players in the same way.”
Sophomore middle blocker Kate Dean led the Panthers with two back-to-back service aces. In between aces, Dean felt herself getting excited.
“I was trying to stay calm and take my time,” Dean said. “Coach always tells me in practice ‘Take your time and be gamelike,’ so I was just trying not to rush myself and freak out and get too excited.”
Dean also recorded four kills and three blocks for the Panthers. Dean felt excited while being on the court during the final play.
“I was ready for us to get [the point] because I knew we were going to get it,” Dean said. “The student section and everyone that was supporting us was really cool and I knew they would storm the court, so I was really excited for that.”
Multiple student-athletes showed up to support EIU volleyball.
Eastern’s football team had multiple thoughts about the Panthers’ big win.
“The game was electric,” Panther football player Joel Barrows said. “I’ve never felt more excited about the future of our volleyball program than I do now.”
“In my mind, I was thinking, ‘We’re really about to do this,” Panther football player Stone Galloway said. “I was thinking ‘There’s no way that we’re going to beat Mizzou in three sets…We are really like that.’ I thought ‘Mizzou who?’”
“The Panthers were on the hunt for some Tigers,” Panthers’ starting quarterback Pierce Holley said.
Thomas feels the biggest strength for the Panthers is the team chemistry.
“Our team unity and the way we stick together; that is our strength,” Thomas said.
Senior defensive specialist/libero Christina Martinez Mundo said she was excited yet not surprised about the team’s historic run so far.
“It feels great to be 10-0, but I’m not surprised,” Martinez Mundo said. “It feels really good, but we’ve been working for it and that’s why it’s not surprising.”
“We’ve been working really hard all season,” Dean said. “I didn’t have a doubt in my mind that we could do it, but it’s really nice to see it come to reality.”
Eastern is one out of three teams that are currently 10-0. The other two teams are Arizona State and Wyoming.
The Panthers will face the Tigers again on Friday at Lantz Arena. The game is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.
Friday’s game will be the last non-conference game for the Panthers.
Zaria Flippin can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].
