SIOUX CITY, Iowa - Led by double-digit kills from Abby Hall (11) and Jordan Holcomb (10), the 12th-ranked Embry-Riddle women's volleyball team improved to 2-0 in pool play at the NAIA National Championship with a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-22, 25-12) of Briar Cliff (Iowa). The Eagles' win coupled with Southern Oregon's loss to Lee (Tenn.) guarantees the Blue and Gold a spot in Friday's single-elimination playoff bracket.
Embry-Riddle got off to a strong start, taking five of the first six points to force BCU to call an early timeout. The break in action didn't break ERAU's momentum, as the Eagles pulled away to a 13-3 lead. The Blue and Gold maintained a double-digit lead throughout most of the set until the Chargers went on a short 4-0 run to pull within seven points at 20-13. Briar Cliff would get no closer, as the Eagles closed out the set with a 25-17 win.
In the second set, the Blue and Gold found themselves behind early, trailing 7-3 before head coach Joslynn Gallop took a timeout to settle things down. Coming out of the timeout the Eagles battled back to tie the set at 10. Embry-Riddle continued to push, taking the lead on a block from Hall and Emily Jacobson, and then extending the lead to five (18-13) on back-to-back service aces from Hall. ERAU continued to hold a comfortable lead until a 4-0 BCU run trimmed the deficit to just two points at 24-22. But after a quick Embry-Riddle timeout, the Blue and Gold won the next point on a kill from Jacobson to take the second set, 25-22.
The third set started much in the same way as the first set, with ERAU jumping out to leads of 5-1 and 8-3. A kill from Gloria Kemp ballooned the lead to 13-5, and back-to-back blocks from Hall and Jacobson increased the margin to 20-10. The Eagles finished the match on a 5-0 run keyed by two Holcomb kills and two blocks from Jacobson and Taylor Martin.
Hall led all players with 11 kills in addition to picking up seven digs, three blocks and two service aces. Holcomb added 10 kills, seven digs and three blocks (one solo). Adriana Vazquez racked up a match-high 30 assists to go along with eight digs. Nina Kontrec led the way defensively with 17 digs, while Julia Frassetto chipped in with nine digs.
Chehala Pace led the Chargers with seven kills while Sarah Wieseler added six kills. Erin Frank recorded a double-double with 23 assists and 11 digs, both team-highs.
The Eagles will wrap up pool play with a match against No. 1 Lee (Tenn.) tomorrow night at 8 p.m. CST. Regardless of the outcome of tomorrow's match, Embry-Riddle will play on Friday in the single-elimination playoff bracket. ERAU's first playoff match opponent and time are both still to be determined.
