ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Despite a triple-double from Tamires Ferreira and a monumental comeback in the fourth set, the 14th-ranked Embry-Riddle volleyball team couldn't quite muster a major comeback in the fifth set, losing 3-2 (25-23, 15-25, 25-23, 25-27, 15-13) at NCAA II Flagler on Wednesday night.
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The Eagles fall to 5-5 with the loss while the Saints improve to 3-2 on the season.
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The first set featured eight ties and three lead changes with neither side performing very well offensively. The Blue and Gold hit .000 while FC hit just .128, a trend that would continue throughout the match. Embry-Riddle grabbed its largest lead of the set at 16-12 on a Ferreira kill, but a 4-0 run later on pushed Flagler to the lead at 22-20. A pair of Saint errors made it 22-22 and a kill from Taylor Ruiz moved the score to 23-23, but the Eagles committed back-to-back errors to end the set at 25-23 in favor of Flagler.
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Set two saw FC jump out to a 8-4 lead only to see ERAU rally with eight straight points and 14 out of 17, taking a commanding 17-10 lead. The Eagles finished the set with their best hitting performance of the match, connecting at a .342 clip en route to a 25-15 win, tying the match at one set apiece.
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Embry-Riddle struggled out of the gates in set three, committing four attack errors in a span of five points, helping Flagler to a 7-3 lead. Ferreira scored another kill that drew the Blue and Gold even at 14-14 and Ruiz notched a service ace to put the Eagles in front, 16-15. After the Saints scored four straight to take a 19-16 lead, ERAU answered back with a 7-0 run to take a 23-19 lead, a seemingly comfortable advantage. But Flagler didn't wilt at all, bouncing back with six straight points to win the set, 25-23, and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
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The Saints rode the momentum of the comeback win in set three all the way to an 11-5 lead in the fourth set. Flagler continued to lead and looked to be in control of the match with a 23-15 lead in the set, putting the Saints just two points away from clinching the match. As she did many times Wednesday night, Ferreira stepped up in the big moments, scoring back-to-back kills to make it 23-17, giving ERAU a little life. After a Ruiz kill and a Caitlyn Ballard service ace, Emily Jacobson pounded a kill to pull the Blue and Gold within three points at 23-20. Ferreira tried to surprise the Saints on the next point, sending a first-ball attack to the deep corner, but it sailed long, giving FC four match points at 24-20. Despite the deficit, Embry-Riddle didn't give up, as Ruiz put down a kill to make it 24-21. After a Flagler error made it 24-22, Jennifer Beatty came up with two huge kills to tie the set at 24-24. A Ruiz service error gave the Saints another match point at 25-24, but Emilee Taylor sent an attack into the net, making it 25-25. Ferreira registered yet another kill to give ERAU set point at 26-25 and another FC error ended the set, completing Embry-Riddle's comeback with a 27-25 win in the set, forcing a decisive fifth set.
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In set five, Embry-Riddle dug themselves a hole early with four errors in the first 10 points, helping Flagler to a 6-4 lead. The margin increased to 12-8 before a Flagler error and a Beatty kill pulled ERAU to within two at 12-10. After FC scored to make it 13-10, the Saints committed back-to-back errors, trimming the deficit to a single point at 13-12. Abby Meyers terminated the next point, giving Flagler its sixth match point at 14-12, but Morgan Shattuck answered with a kill to extend the match. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the comeback ended there, as Taylor put down the match-ending kill on the next point, handing the set to Flagler, 15-13, and ending the match at 3-2 in favor of the Saints.
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Ferreira notched her second triple-double of the season, registering 19 digs to go along with match-highs in kills (16) and assists (39). She also had three service aces, tied with Emily Jacobson for a match-high. Ruiz recorded a double-double with 15 digs and 13 kills while Ballard tallied 13 digs and seven kills and Beatty totaled 14 kills and seven digs. Hannah Gray led all players with 42 digs.
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Meyers led the Saints with 15 kills and six blocks (one solo) while Taylor notched a double-double with 14 kills and 17 digs. Amelia Morgan recorded a team-high 37 assists to go along with 10 digs while Caitlyn Kovach picked up a team-leading 32 digs.
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The Eagles return to the court on Friday (Sept. 13) when they play host to Southeastern in the first Sun Conference match of the season at 7 p.m. inside the ICI Center. Friday night is Breast Cancer Awareness night and Embry-Riddle will be wearing pink jerseys as part of the promotion. On Saturday, the ICI Center will serve as the venue for the Fifth Annual Daytona Beach Breast Health Symposium, which is focused on honoring breast cancer survivors. The event begins Saturday morning (Sept. 14) at 7:30 a.m. and will continue into the early afternoon. |
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Stats Comparison |
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Kills |
53 |
60 |
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Errors |
21 |
34 |
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Total Attacks |
191 |
197 |
|
Attack Pct. |
.168 |
.132 |
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Assists |
51 |
53 |
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Digs |
92 |
103 |
|
Blocks |
11 |
5 |
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Service Aces |
8 |
11 |
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Stat Leaders |
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Meyers |
15 |
Kills |
16 |
Ferreira |
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Morgan |
37 |
Assists |
39 |
Ferreira |
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Kovach |
32 |
Digs |
42 |
Gray |
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Meyers |
6 |
Blocks |
3 |
Shattuck |
Taylor/
Kovach |
2 |
Aces |
3 |
Ferreira/
Jacobson |
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