WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- As they did against Madonna in last year's Palm Beach Atlantic University volleyball tournament, Embry-Riddle University posed a very strong threat against the top-ranked squad falling 30-28, 30-25, 30-17.

Embry-Riddle (7-8) battled point-for-point in the first game and actually built a 25-21 advantage late in the game, however Madonna (17-2) went on a 4-0 run to tie the game 25-25. Follwing a kill by ERAU's Savannah Trakes, Madonna's Lubovj Tihomirova took control with four of her seven kills in the first game coming in the final seven points to give the Crusaders a 30-28 victory. She finished with a match-high 16 kills and hit an amazing .615 with no attack errors, while the team hit an equally strong .363 for the match.

The second game was also close as the teams were tied at 14-14, but Madonna went on a 10-2 run to pull ahead 24-16. The Eagles trimmed the margin to four points at 25-21 behind kills from Marissa Gonzales, Jenni Nelsen, a service ace from Rachel Ridder and an attack error by the Crusaders. ERAU cut the lead to three at 28-25, but Crusaders' setter Inta Grinvalds recorded her lone kill of the match and then an attack error by the Eagles gave Madonna the win 30-25. Grinvalds finished with 38 assists.

The final game was close early with an 11-11 tie, but Madonna went on a 14-4 run sparked by Caryn Inman and Tihomirova with three and two kills, respectively to build a commanding 25-15 lead. Inman finished with 10 kills hitting .381 on the night and added seven block assists.

Embry-Riddle played some of their best volleyball of the season hitting .250 for the match and had three players post double-figures in kills led by April Ebanks with 13, while Trakes (hit .455 on the night) and Jenn Meglic (.348) recorded 11 kills apiece.

Embry-Riddle will return to action on Saturday at 11:15 a.m. against the host Palm Beach Atlantic which finished in first-place in Pool A.