CHARLESTON, IL- Madi Tyus (Plano, TX/Bishop Lynch) and Alexis Lambert (McKinney, Tx./McKinney-Boyd) would each post double-doubles but Valparaiso would prevail in four sets on Friday to close day one of the EIU Panther Invite.
 
Tyus would lead the team with 14 kills and 15 digs while Lambert added 10 kills and 13 digs but SFU would fall 25-22, 19-25, 25-14, 25-13.
 
 
SET ONE

• Valpo's defense set the tone early with a pair of blocks to take an early lead
• A pair of Alexis Lambert (McKinney, Tx./McKinney-Boyd) kills got the Red Flash on the board as they battled back to tie the set at 4-4
• Lambert continued her strong first set with an ace to give SFU their first lead
• The Crusaders broke open a back-and-forth early going with four-straight to lead 13-9 and force an SFU timeout
• SFU couldn't get closer than three out of the timeout until Emily Pieper (Paonia, Colo./Paonia) had a kill and an ace to cut the lead to one
• Kills by Nicole Adams (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa East) and Sophie Rice (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) allowed SFU to keep pace, tying the match at 18
• Two quick points by Valpo late proved too much as they took set one 25-22

 
SET TWO

• Four-straight points from Valpo out of the gate forced a Red Flash timeout
• The SFU defense stepped up out of the timeout, forcing four mis-hits from the Crusaders, scoring six straight to take the lead
• Madi Tyus (Plano, TX/Bishop Lynch) had three-straight kills as SFU built a 12-9 lead on the Crusaders
• Valpo would rally back to tie the match at 16, but a kill and ace from Tyus helped rebuild the lead
• An Elise Dumouchelle (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) ace forced a Valpo timeout and a pair of Alexis Lambert (McKinney, Tx./McKinney-Boyd) kills helped put the set away
• SFU knotted the match at a set each with a 25-19 set two win

 
SET THREE

• Again, Valpo jumped out early, a trio of kills put them up 3-1
• The Crusader lead would build to 7-3, forcing a Red Flash timeout
• Valpo would continue their hot play, growing the lead to eight at 13-5, forcing another timeout
• Saint Francis could never get on track in the third, trading points with the Crusaders out of the timeout
• Madi Tyus (Plano, TX/Bishop Lynch) secured a double-double in the set, but it wasn't enough
• Valpo would take set three 25-14

 
SET FOUR

• The Crusaders kept the tradition of a quick start going, forcing a SFU timeout after a 10-4 jump start
• The first collegiate kill from Keara McGraw (Austin, TX/James Bowie) got the Flash offense going
• The Valpo block was strong in the set, preventing SFU from getting a run going
• A pair of Madi Tyus (Plano, TX/Bishop Lynch) kills gave her 14 on the night while Alexis Lambert (McKinney, Tx./McKinney-Boyd) got two as well to give her a double-double as part of a small SFU run
• The Crusaders would never let up in the fourth to allow SFU back into the set
• Valpo would take the fourth set and the match, 25-13

 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Flash will close out the opening weekend on Saturday as they take on Fresno State and Iona in day two of the EIU Panther Invite. First up are the Fresno State Bulldogs, first serve is set for 1:30 p.m. Eastern.