DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The eighth-ranked Embry-Riddle volleyball team used the strength of Jordan Holcomb's right arm to secure a pair of victories on day one of the ERAU Labor Day Tournament. Holcomb recorded 13 kills in a 3-0 win over Ashford and followed with an 11-kill effort in another 3-0 win over Madonna.
In the afternoon match against Ashford, the Blue and Gold dominated from the early moments. Three straight blocks put ERAU in front 8-1 in the first set, and the Eagles never looked back. A kill by Taylor Martin extended the lead to 11 (20-9) and Embry-Riddle finished the set on a 4-0 run that included two more Martin kills, including the final point to give ERAU a 25-21 win.
The second set saw more of the same from the home team, as a Morgan Shattuck kill gave ERAU a 7-3 lead early on. After the Saints closed the gap to 9-7, the Eagles rattled off eight straight points to take a commanding 17-7 lead. Ashford would get no closer than six points for the remainder of the set and a kill by Gloria Kemp gave the Blue and Gold a 25-18 victory and a 2-0 lead.
The opening of the third set was nearly a mirror image of the second set, with Embry-Riddle opening up a 7-3 lead followed by the Saints battling back to trim the deficit to two at 9-7. This time it would be a 9-3 run by the Eagles, which included kills from six different players, to break the set open at 18-10. ERAU would maintain a comfortable lead through the end, taking a 25-15 win in the final set to earn a 3-0 sweep of the match.
Holcomb led the Eagles with 13 kills while Martin chipped in with 12 kills and 12 digs. Adriana Vazquez ran the offense with 36 assists as the Eagles hit .315 for the match. Nina Kontrec anchored the defense with 21 digs.
McKenzie Thompson led the Saints with five kills to go along with six digs, while Karrah Toby recorded a team-high 10 digs.
In the nightcap against Madonna, ERAU looked strong once again. A pair of service aces from Martin helped launch the Eagles into an early 6-0 lead. The closest the Crusaders would come after that early deficit was 20-16, when a kill by Emilie Freeman pulled Madonna to within four points. The Blue and Gold responded with a 5-1 run keyed by two more Martin kills, taking the first set 25-17.
A service ace from Abby Hall gave Embry-Riddle a 7-3 lead early in set two, and a kill from Holcomb pushed the margin to 11-4, forcing Madonna to take a timeout. After the Crusaders closed the gap to just two (12-10), the Eagles rallied for an 11-3 run that included three Holcomb kills. A spike from Kemp closed the door on the second set with ERAU taking a 25-16 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.
Four attack errors in the first six points of the third set gave the Eagles an early 5-1 cushion, but MU would bounce back with a 4-2 run to bring the score to 7-5. The Blue and Gold took the next three points, but Madonna would not go down without a fight, closing the margin to a single point at 17-16. A kill from Holcomb followed by a double-block from Holcomb and Kemp pushed the lead to 19-16. Hall then took over offensively, recording kills on four of the final eight points, including the final point, giving ERAU a 25-20 win in the set and a 3-0 win in the match.
Hall led the Eagles with 13 kills and added 10 digs, while Holcomb chipped in with 11 kills. Martin posted eight kills and eight digs as well. Vazquez once again led the offense, recording 38 assists as the Eagles hit .261 for the match. Kontrec also anchored the defense again, registering a match-high 22 digs.
Freeman and Karie Altman led Madonna with seven kills apiece. Evia Prieditis tallied 24 assists to lead the offense along with a team-high 11 digs.
The Eagles return to action in the ERAU Labor Day Tournament tomorrow with a pair of matches, beginning with a 2 p.m. showdown against No. 18 Rocky Mountain. The Blue and Gold will close out the tournament with a 7 p.m. match against Jamestown.
