Charleston, W.Va: The Golden Eagles bounced back from a Friday night loss to Ohio Dominican by defeating the visiting Chowan Crimson Hawks in straight sets on Saturday
 
JUST THE BASICS:
Match 1
Score: Charleston 3 Chowan 0
Location: Werhle Arena
Team Records: Charleston (5-2, 0-0 MEC) Chowan (3-5, 0-0 Conference Carolinas )
Match 2
Score: Charleston 0 IUP 3
Location: Werhle Arena
Team Records: Charleston (5-3, 0-0 MEC) IUP (5-4, 0-0 PSAC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Match 1
The Golden Eagles opened their second day of the UC invitational hungry for revenge after a marathon match against Ohio Dominican the night before. With that chip on their shoulder the Golden Eagles would go on to dismantle the visiting Chowan University Hawks.
 
At one point in the first set the Golden Eagles had a 10 point lead that they would hold onto for the entire set. With McKenzie Damon had 6 kills in the set and Maria Hernandez led the way on the offensive end collecting 12 assists. UC would win the first set 25-18.
 
The second set was a closer affair. UC shot out to an early lead but Chowan would not go as quietly this set. The Hawks were able to even the score at 24 late but UC would stay resilient and walk away with a victory. The final score was 26-24 with UC looking to close out the Hawks in the 3^rd set.
 
UC would have no trouble closing the match, ending their final set with a commanding 16-point victory. The Golden Eagle offense was simply too much for the Hawks to handle. The barrage of attacks showcased how different this team is compared to previous years. A visibly different style can be seen when watching the Golden Eagles play this year. The final score would come to 25-9 when an attack error by the Hawks would finally close the set.
 
The straight set victory improves UCs record to 5-2 and marks the second time in the tournament that the Golden Eagles have won in straight sets.
 
Match 2
With win number one of the day under their belt, the Golden Eagles looked to finish the night with a win over regional opponent Indiana University of Pennsylvania. UC fans in attendance were in for a night of excitement that would conclude the UC Invitational.
 
After a relatively uneventful first match of the day for UC, the first set was full of excitement against the Crimson Hawks. Saturday's nightcap would showcase short rallies and powerful offense swings throughout the match. In the first set the score would remain close with no team gaining an advantage until the very end. IUP would eventually wear down the UC defense and win the set by a score of 25-23. Sage Bearnson ended with 6 kills in the first leading the Golden Eagle attack
 
After a tough first set the IUP Crimson Hawks looked like they would run away with the second set after taking a 7-1 lead early. However, the ever-resilient Golden Eagle team found a way to battle all the way back to take the lead 18-14 late.  With the set concluding and momentum changing by the point Charleston looked to even the match at 1 set a piece. However, a late 3 point swing from IUP and a block by Leah Henderson and Caroline Walsh off the swing of Sage Bearnson would conclude the set. IUP: 25 UC: 22.
 
The Golden Eagles looked to respond after two very close sets with the Crimson Hawks. The Golden Eagles battle early hoping to defend the vicious attacks from Falcon hitters. The Golden Eagles were able to tie the score at 14 when the Crimson Hawks went on a 5-point run to make it 19-14. From there it was difficult for the Golden Eagles to recover. Point after point seemed to fall to the Crimson Hawks and despite their best-efforts UC would go on to lose 25-17 in the third set.
 
This defeat marks the 3^rd of the season for the Golden Eagles. This is the first loss where the Golden Eagles didn't win a set. This match was also the first that no Charleston player had double digit kills, a credit to the defense played by IUP. Sage Bearnson led UC with 4 service aces and McKenzie Damon led the way with 8 kills.
 
UP NEXT:
The Golden Eagles will play in the Francis Marion Tournament in Florence, South Carolina. The Golden Eagles are slated to play at 1pm against host Francis Marion University.
Live Stats: https://ucgoldeneagles.com/sidearmstats/wvball