Sports Briefs

EWU men face UPS in exhibition

The Eastern Washington University men’s basketball team will play an exhibition game Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. at Reese Court against the University of Puget Sound.

The contest against the NCAA Division III team will be a warm-up for the Eagles’ preseason home opener Friday, Nov. 14 against Texas Southern University at 8 a.m. at Reese. With the early start, Eastern will be the first Division I team in the country to play a game in the 2014-15 season.

———

Eastern women roll over Central Methodist

The Eastern Washington University women’s basketball team outscored visiting Central Methodist 49-19 in the second half en route to a convincing 82-37 victory in an exhibition contest Thursday, Oct. 30, at Reese Court.

After Central Methodist cut Eastern’s lead to four, 18-14, with 8 minutes, 35 seconds left in the first half, the Eagles would turn it on from there with a 15-4 run to take a 33-18 lead into halftime.

Lexie Nelson led all scorers with 22 points, 17 in the second half. Melissa Williams added 16 points, Hayley Hodgins 15 points, while Hodgins’ sister, Delaney, came off the bench to score 11 points in her first collegiate game.

———

Eastern volleyball hits the road

The Eastern Washington University women’s volleyball team will hit the road for one final time this season, playing a pair of Big Sky Conference matches away from home against Northern Arizona and Idaho.

EWU will take on the Lumberjacks Thursday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m. before squaring off with the Vandals, Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m.

Eastern (9-16, 5-7 BSC) will look to get back on the winning path after falling to Montana and Montana State this past weekend. The Eagles lost in four sets to the Grizzlies before seeing the Bobcats make a miraculous comeback to take a five-set win last Saturday.

The Eagles are currently tied for seventh in the Big Sky standings with Southern Utah and Portland State. By virtue of its head-to-head losses to the Thunderbirds and the Vikings, Eastern would be the first team left out of the Big Sky Tournament if it started today.

Eastern returns home for its final two league matches Thursday, Nov. 13 versus Northern Colorado and t North Dakota, Saturday, Nov.15.

———

EWU soccer faces Northern Arizona

In its first Big Sky Tournament appearance since 2009, the Eastern Washington women’s soccer takes on Northern Arizona for the opening match of the six team, three round competition on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 10 a.m., in Missoula, Mont.

EWU was able to earn a 1-0 shutout victory over NAU earlier this year in Flagstaff, Ariz., Oct. 19. The triumph was the first win for the Eagles over Lumberjacks since 2004. The match’s single goal was scored by freshman Chloe Williams in the 21st minute.

Eastern enters into the tournament as the sixth seed after finishing the regular season with a final record of 5-5 in the Big Sky Conference, and 8-8 overall.

———

Sherritt earns CFL defensive award

Edmonton Eskimo linebacker, and former Eastern Eagle, J.C. Sherritt earned the Canadian Football League Defensive Player of the Week honors for Week 19 after his performance in Edmonton’s 37-3 victory over the British Columbia Lions last Saturday, Nov. 1.

 Sherritt led the Eskimo defense recording a season-high seven tackles, three quarterback sacks and a forced fumble in the win that secured a home playoff game in the Grey Cup playoffs.

———