LAKE WALES, Fla. – Less than 24 hours after handing Webber International its first conference loss of the season in a thrilling five-set match, the seventh-ranked Embry-Riddle volleyball team decided to duplicate the feat at Warner on Saturday afternoon. The two teams came in with identical 4-0 records in Sun Conference play, and though Warner pushed the Eagles to five sets, ERAU was up to the task, taking down the Royals, 3-2 (25-18, 24-26, 25-21, 23-25, 15-7).
With the win, the Eagles improve to 17-4 and 5-0 in conference play, moving one match ahead of Webber, Warner and St. Thomas, who all sit at 4-1 in league play.
Just as they did against WIU the night before, Embry-Riddle handled Warner with relative ease in the first set, limiting the Royals to a .000 hitting percentage en route to a 25-18 win.
The Eagles continued to dominate throughout most of the second set, running the lead up to as many as nine points (16-7). But Warner refused to wilt, mounting an 11-3 run to pull within a point at 19-18. ERAU maintained the lead and eventually held a 23-21 advantage, only to see the Royals close the set on a 5-1 stretch to win the frame, 26-24, knotting the match at one set apiece.
Embry-Riddle struggled out of the gates in set three, falling behind 6-2 early. The lead ballooned to as large as seven (15-8) before back-to-back
Taylor Martin kills started a 9-2 run to pull the Eagles even at 17-17. A block from
Morgan Shattuck and
Emily Jacobson gave ERAU its first lead of the set at 19-18, though the Royals bounced back to regain the lead, 20-19. After WU committed errors on three of the next four points, the Eagles were back in the drivers' seat at 23-20. The Royals scored once, but Martin and
Jordan Holcomb terminated the next two points, giving Embry-Riddle a 25-21 win a 2-1 lead in the match.
The fourth set saw both sides play sloppy, as the two teams combined for 20 errors in the frame and neither side hit higher than .100. The Eagles held an early 8-6 lead with all eight points coming courtesy of Warner attack errors. After the Royals came back to tie the set at 11, ERAU committed attack errors on the next two points, putting WU in front, 13-11. Embry-Riddle cut the lead to just a point after a Martin kill moved the score to 19-18, and another Warner error tied the set at 23-23. Kimberlee Thomas put down a kill and Allison Kennedy aced a serve to finish the set at 25-23 in favor of the Royals, tying the match at 2-2 and forcing a winner-take-all fifth set.
In set five, Embry-Riddle found its form once again, outhitting Warner .312 to -.056. A 4-1 run keyed by two Shattuck kills put the Eagles ahead 6-3 early on. After the Royals closed the gap to a point at 7-6, the Blue and Gold rallied, scoring five straight points to take a 12-6 lead. A kill by Jenni Cook stopped the run, but ERAU finished strong, winning the next three points to claim a convincing 15-7 win in the set, taking the match, 3-2.
Martin led all players with 16 kills to go along with 15 digs, while Holcomb added 13 kills, eight digs and four blocks.
Erika Hinel chipped in with a career-high 10 kills and a career-high six blocks (two solo) and led all players with a .409 hitting percentage. Shattuck recorded a match-high seven blocks (one solo) and added seven kills.
Hannah Gray picked up a match- and career-high 35 digs and also contributed a career-high six assists.
Adriana Vazquez tallied 42 assists to go along with season highs in digs (16) and blocks (4).
Cook led the Royals with 15 kills and added 19 digs and four service aces. Kimberlee Thomas chipped in with 12 kills and 19 digs. Chloe Boehm (24 assists, 14 digs) and Allison Kennedy (23 assists, 15 digs) shared equal time at the setter position in Warner's 6-2 offense. Jarrah Garner led the team with 22 digs.
The Eagles will travel to Livonia, Mich. to take part in next weekend's BLT Sportswear Crusader Classic hosted by Madonna University. Embry-Riddle will play Trinity International (Ill.) on Friday, Oct. 19 at 3:30 p.m. before facing the hosts, No. 18 Madonna at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 20, ERAU will battle Siena Heights (9:30 a.m.) and Daemen (1:30 p.m.). Live stats for all four Embry-Riddle matches will be available at www.erauathletics.com.
