ELSAH, ILL. -- The Lady Panthers competed well today, giving Spalding a run for their money and beating Eureka in three games. With their hustle, enthusiasm, and tough defense, Principia made their homecoming matches exciting for the many alumni and parents who came and watched.

Principia started bold against Spalding, the top team in conference, but lost 0-3. Throughout the match they worked to read and block Spalding's tough hitters while finding open spaces for killing opportunities. Though Spalding was able to put balls down on Principia with tricky hits and tools on the block, Principia made them work for kills by staying ready on defense. Isabelle Tetu, Kiersten Andersen, and Tara Edwards each had double figures in digging: 12, 13, and 11 digs. In the third game, Principia kept the score tight with Spalding as Sarah Howard came alive with hits from the middle. Ending scores of the match were 13-25, 16-25, and 21-25.

Sarah Howard stayed alive and played even stronger as she competed in the second match against Eureka. She had nine kills and zero hitting errors, killing half the balls she was set. She also put down five single blocks, forcing Eureka to tip over the block in the second game. Christine Nacewicz and Catherine Speer also hit effectively, Nacewicz with seven kills and zero errors and Speer with four kills out of ten attempts. Defense contributed to the win by wiping away Eureka's chances for kills, anticipating the tips and keeping the ball in play. Ending scores were 25-13, 25-21, and 25-16.

After today, Principia stands with a 6-13 record. They take on MacMurray away on Tuesday at 7:00 PM to push for another win.