Bob Hunt Photographer

Eureka College junior guard Caty Eeten poured in a game-high 29 points, while sophomore forward Kelsey Shoemake delivered her third consecutive double-double, leading the Red Devils to their highest point total versus a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponent since joining the league six years ago in a 91-77 conference victory over MacMurray, Wednesday night at the Reagan Center. The Red Devils scored the first four points of the game and eventually took its largest lead of the first 20 minutes when senior forward Melissa Clements hit a jumper for a 24-15 advantage with 7:45 to play before halftime. The Highlanders answered with a 13-0 run over the next 3:39, as Whittney Wade‘s 3-pointer gave the visitors their first lead of the night, 25-24, with 4:39 left. Eureka regrouped, regaining the lead for good in the final minute on a 3-point play from freshman forward Kayla Bryant, the first points of her collegiate career. Bryant’s effort gave the Red Devils a 33-32 edge, part of an 8-0 run that allowed the hosts to carry a 38-32 lead into the locker room. Eeten went 11-for-17 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line on her way to 29 points. Shoemake tacked on 21 points and 13 rebounds, while sophomore guard Jenna Brooks also reached double-figures with 11 points. Senior forward Jaylynn Stewart distributed a game-high seven assists. The victory improves the Red Devils to 3-0 overall for the second consecutive season and just the third time since the 1991-92 season. The Red Devils are also 1-0 in SLIAC play for the third consecutive season and fourth time overall. Eureka will continue SLIAC play Saturday with its annual trip to Louisville, Ky. for a noon CT tip-off versus Spalding. Click here to view more game photo’s.

-Bob

Eureka College fifth-year guard Jordan Kindred scored his 1,000th career point midway through the second half, hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 6.5 seconds remaining and swatted away Monmouth’s potential game-tying layup as time expired, sending the Red Devils to an 82-80 non-conference victory over the Fighting Scots, Tuesday night at the Reagan Center. The decision marked Eureka’s first victory over Monmouth College since Feb. 24, 1976. After Monmouth’s Jon Calhoun successfully converted a 3-point play for an 80-79 lead with 17.5 seconds remaining, Eureka advanced the ball past half court without calling a timeout to run an offensive set.  Eureka senior forward Dustin Fritsch eventually found Kindred, who pulled up and buried a 27-footer from straightaway for an 82-80 lead. With no timeouts remaining, the Scots frantically advanced the ball past half court and toward the goal, but Mike DeDecker’s driving layup attempt was swatted away from behind by Kindred just before the final horn. The Scots’ lead swelled to double-digits, 49-39, on Nick Marema’s layup with 16:59 left in the contest. The Red Devils answered with a 13-3 burst and forced a 52-52 deadlock when senior guard Rian Nailor scored inside at the 12:34 mark. The Red Devils eventually claimed their first lead since the 1:45 mark of the first half when senior reserve center D.T. Thornton scored for a 59-58 edge with 8:46 to play.

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-Bob

After dropping the first two games of Wednesday’s non-conference match against Knox College, the Eureka College volleyball team stormed back to win game three and twice served game point in game four, but the visiting Prairie Fire rallied to hold off the Red Devils’ charge and earned a 25-18, 25-15, 16-25, 29-27 victory at the Reagan Center. The decision spoiled Eureka’s 2012 home opener. Knox (2-14) never trailed in either of the first two games to race to an early lead in the match. After a Eureka kill from freshman outside hitter Sam Vogel forced a 7-7 tie in the opening game, the visitors responded with six consecutive points to take control with a 13-7 cushion. Eureka clawed back within five, 15-10, after a kill from senior outside hitter Shari Steidinger, but the Prairie Fire was able to coast to a 25-18 win. Game four saw 17 ties and 11 lead changes, as neither squad was able to push their lead past four points. Knox gained their biggest edge of the frame at 16-13 following a Eureka attack error. The Red Devils fired back, using a 8-2 run capped by a kill from junior outside hitter Jacqui Kane to lead 22-18. Knox answered with four straight points for a 22-22 tie, but the Red Devils ultimately forced game point, 25-24, after Peyton McAtee’s kill. Knox was able to fend off game point twice over the next series of volleys, and eventually earned the victory when Amber Eisha blocked the Red Devils’ attack for a 29-27 victory. Click here to view more game photo’s.

-Bob

Eureka College senior quarterback Sam Durley (Roanoke, IL./Roanoke-Benson H.S.) broke an NCAA single-game record with 736 passing yards, one of six school records broken on Saturday, helping the Red Devils come from behind for a 62-55 non-conference victory over Knox College in the inaugural Abraham Lincoln Bowl at the Harley Knosher Bowl in Galesburg, IL. Durley’s effort broke the previous single-game record of 731 yards held by Menlo College quarterback Zamir Amin on Oct. 7, 2000. Durley finished the game 34-for-52 with five touchdown passes, including a pair of strikes to junior wideout Jake Bane in the final two minutes of the game to cap a run of 17 unanswered points by the Red Devils. Durley’s final touchdown pass, a 13-yard toss to Bane with 20 seconds remaining, gave the Red Devils their first lead of the afternoon that eventually held up as the final 62-55 score. In addition to the single-game NCAA record, Durley broke Eureka’s all-time passing yardage, attempts and passing touchdown records on Saturday. The senior now has 6,095 career passing yards, 792 attempts and 48 touchdowns. Each mark bested the previous record held by Durley’s former teammate Nick Lindsey (2006-09).  Durley is the first Red Devil in program history to throw for 6,000 yards. Durley’s effort allowed Bane and newcomer Jordan Kindred to compile two of the top receiving performances in program history. Kindred, playing his first organized football game of any kind on Saturday, hauled in 13 balls for 235 yards. The 13 catches were the third-most catches in a game by a Red Devil in program history, while the 235 yards marked the fourth-best performance in school history. Bane made seven catches for 207 yards. The yardage total marked the ninth-highest single-game total in school history. As a team, Eureka rolled up 821 yards of total offense, besting the previous school record of 744 set versus Crown on Nov. 7, 2009. In all, the game featured 1,290 yards of total offense and 60 first downs. Eureka’s 62-point effort was the fifth-highest single-game point total in the 109-season history of the program. Eureka’s victory secured ownership of the Abraham Lincoln Bowl traveling trophy, a bronze bust of a young Abraham Lincoln that will be awarded to the winner of each game in the series. Click to View and Purchase more Game Photo’s.

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-Bob

Eureka College sophomore shortstop Grant DeWitt belted his first career home run in the fourth inning, highlighting Eureka’s best offensive output in nearly a year and lifting the Red Devils to a 17-14 non-conference victory over Illinois College, Wednesday afternoon at Henry Sand Field. The Red Devils (2-6) put together a huge first inning, sending 12 batters to the plate to build an 8-0 lead.  Sophomore second baseman Jordan Hodel put the hosts on the board after two walks and a base hit loaded the bases, coaxing a four-pitch walk to score DeWitt for a 1-0 advantage.  The next five Red Devils reached base safely, four of which came on a single, to push the advantage to 8-0 and drive IC starter Ian Richardson from the ball game.  The Blueboys committed two errors in the inning, but only one of Eureka’s eight runs in the frame were unearned. Illinois College (9-4) looked to be in danger of falling to the 10-run rule before engineering a six-run seventh inning to climb back into the contest. Dave Dalfonso and Terry Davis drove in runs early in the frame before Nick Visconti drilled a grand slam over the right field fence to pull the Blueboys back within three runs. Click here for the box score.

-Bob