MIAMI, Fla. - After an unusual start to the match which saw both assistant coaches having to serve as down referees in the first two games, the
Embry-Riddle volleyball team overcame a first-game loss to prevail 3-1 against St. Thomas University (28-30, 30-28, 30-17, 30-17).

The victory improves the Eagles' FSC record to 6-1 and 11-12 overall, while STU drops to 3-11 3-5 in the FSC.

The assistant coaches were called to duty when the second referee failed to show up until midway through the second game.  Not that any poor calls were made by the coaches, but there may have been a few missed on both sides of the court being put in an unfamiliar role.

However, the host Bobcats outworked Embry-Riddle in the first game despite hitting .119 to win 30-28 behind strong defense with 18 digs and a strong serve
with seven service aces.  Ashlee Guerrero led the way for STU with five kills in the game and hit .400.

The Eagles led 26-21 and squandered the lead as St. Thomas tied the game 26-26 with a 5-0 run which included two attack errors by ERAU, a kill by Guerrero and a service ace by Cynthia Antamarchy.  ERAU retook the lead 28-27 on a kill by Jenn Meglic, but following a service error by the Eagles, STU's Jennifer Prada
registered a service ace to pull ahead 29-28 and Guerrero closed it out with a kill 30-28.

Guerrero finished the match with 15 kills to lead the Bobcats, while Antomarchy finished wtih seven kills, a match-high 18 digs and four service aces.

In the second game, the roles were reversed as the Eagles found themselves trailing 26-21, but knotted the match at 26-26 on a 5-0 run behind kills by Mia
Jaramillo, April Ebanks and Savannah Trakes, along with two attack errors by the Bobcats.  STU regained a 28-27 lead, but followed with a service error giving
the ball to Trakes who served out the game with back-to-back service aces to win 30-28.

Trakes finished with a match-high 16 kills, while Ebanks added 11 and Jenni Nelsen and Meglic had 10 apiece.  Marissa Gonzales had 40 assists and a
team-high 17 digs, while Rachel Ridder finished with 16 digs.

In the third and fourth, it was all Eagles as they hit .296 and .368, respectively.  And built double-digit leads in both games cruising to 30-17 wins to capture the match.