SAVANNAH, Ga. - The 12th-ranked Embry-Riddle women's volleyball team swept host SCAD Savannah in three sets (25-23, 25-18, 25-22) on Saturday afternoon to capture the program's second-ever conference tournament championship. The Sun Conference Player of the Year Abby Hall led the way with 10 kills in the victory.
The Eagles started strong, opening the first set with a 4-1 advantage. The Bees battled back with three straight points to tie, but ERAU never surrendered the lead. The Blue and Gold used a 5-1 run to take a commanding 17-11 lead. Once again, SCAD rallied, pulling to within a single point at 23-22. But Embry-Riddle won two of the next three points to take the set, 25-23.
In the second set, ERAU got off to a blistering start, taking an 8-1 lead in the early going, forcing SCAD head coach Melissa Batie to take a timeout. The break in momentum allowed the Bees to slowly work their way back into the set, eventually pulling to within three points (13-10). But a 4-1 Eagle run ballooned the lead back up to six points (17-11), and Embry-Riddle finished off the set without allowing SCAD any closer at 25-18.
The third set saw the Bees put a run together at the open, taking a 5-2 lead, their largest of the match. The Eagles bounced right back, rattling off six consecutive points to gain an 8-5 advantage. After SCAD rallied to tie the set at 10-all, the Blue and Gold went on an 11-3 spurt to take control of the set and match, leading 21-13. The Bees put a scare into the Eagle faithful, fighting back to within two (24-22), but Hall clinched the championship with a thundering kill, giving ERAU the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-0.
Hall led the Eagles with 10 kills in addition to eight digs, while Jordan Holcomb, Emily Jacobson and Gloria Kemp chipped in with six kills apiece. TSC Libero of the Year Nina Kontrec collected a match-high 15 digs and Julia Frassetto recorded a season-high 12 digs. TSC Setter of the Year Adriana Vazquez compiled a team-high 28 assists.
Jen Drouin recorded a match-high 12 kills for the Bees and Pammy Craigle recorded team-highs in digs (15) and assists (34).
With the conference tournament championship, the Eagles have secured themselves a spot in the NAIA National Tournament. The Blue and Gold will wait to see if they will play in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round or advance directly to the National Tournament final site in Sioux City, Iowa. The tournament field and pairings will be announced on Sunday night.
