ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - The evening began with Flagler honoring their two seniors who were about to play their final home regular season match of their careers. It ended with those seniors losing on their home floor for just the second time in two years. Abby Hall (16), Jordan Holcomb (16) and Gloria Kemp (14) each recorded double-digit kills as the Eagles rallied for an improbably come-from-behind win in five sets (19-25, 13-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-13).
After Kemp's service ace gave ERAU an early 3-1 lead in the first set, Flagler went on a 12-4 run to establish a 13-7 lead, prompting head coach Joslynn Gallop to take a timeout. The Blue and Gold won the next two points, but were never able to get any closer than a five-point deficit, dropping the first set 25-19.
The Eagles once again took an early lead (4-1) in the second set, but it was short-lived. A 7-1 run put the Saints in front 8-5, forcing ERAU to call for a timeout. Embry-Riddle fought back to pull within a point at 11-10, but Flagler went on a tear from that point, winning 14 of the next 17 points to win the set, 25-13, and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
The third set saw the Saints start off better than they had in the previous sets, as they led from the first point of the set. Flagler opened up an 11-5 lead, and after an ERAU timeout, they only built upon that lead, taking a 16-9 advantage at one point. But a Flagler service error started a 3-0 run for the Eagles, cutting the lead to 16-12. After the Saints earned a sideout, the Blue and Gold rattled off four straight points, trimming the deficit to a single point (17-16). A kill from Kemp completed the comeback as Embry-Riddle drew even at 18-18. The Saints would not surrender the lead, though, winning the next two points to take a 20-18 lead. Holcomb responded with a kill followed by a service ace, tying things again at 20-20. Once again the Saints scored two straight, but the Eagles didn't waver, using a kill from Kemp and an ace from Lauren Anastase to knot it up at 22-22. Kemp showed her strength at the net, recording back-to-back block assists on the next two points, giving ERAU a 24-22 advantage. After a service error gave Flagler the serve trailing 24-23, Adriana Vazquez fooled the Saints with a setter dump for a kill to clinch the set, 25-23. Holcomb came alive in the set, hitting .417 with six kills and a service ace, while Kemp hit .444 with four kills and three blocks.
In the fourth set, Flagler took an early 3-1 lead only to see Embry-Riddle go on a 10-1 run to take a commanding 11-4 advantage. Holcomb and Hall each had a pair of kills during the run. The Saints couldn't rebound from the early deficit, trailing by four-plus points throughout the remainder of the set, as ERAU won 25-21 to force a decisive fifth set.
The Eagles again dug themselves an early hole in the fifth set, falling behind 3-1, just as they had in the previous set. But they bounced back, using a 6-2 run that was keyed by three Eagle blocks to take the lead, 7-5. The Saints rallied to regain the lead, 8-7, but it would be the final lead they would hold in the match. Kills from Hall and Holcomb swung the lead back over to Embry-Riddle, 9-8. Meg Weathersby put down her 22nd kill to tie it at 9-9, but Holcomb answered with her 15th kill to put ERAU back ahead, 10-9. Another Holcomb kill gave the Eagles a 12-10 lead, and from that point the two teams traded points for the rest of the set. Kemp put down a kill to make it 13-11 in favor of ERAU, and Hall's kill put the Eagles one point away from victory at 14-12. After committing an attack error, Hall finished off the Saints with her 16th kill, giving ERAU a 15-13 victory in the fifth set.
Hall and Holcomb each led the Eagles with 16 kills, and each recorded double-doubles, with Hall picking up a match-high 18 digs and Holcomb chipping in with 12 digs. Vazquez also notched a double-double with 10 digs and a match-high 48 assists. Kemp added 14 kills while Nina Kontrec tied Hall with a match-high 18 digs.
Meg Weathersby, one of Flager's two seniors honored before the match, recorded a match-high 22 kills for the Saints. Senior Rebecca Royal registered a team-high 31 assists, and Dianna Craine had a double-double with 15 kills and 16 digs.
The Eagles will travel to Savannah, Ga. for The Sun Conference Tournament this weekend hosted by SCAD Savannah. The Blue and Gold will play either Warner or Southeastern on Friday (Nov. 12) at 7 p.m. in a semifinal match. The conference final is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m.
