MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - The second-seeded Embry-Riddle volleyball team rallied for comeback wins in the first two sets in a 3-0 win (25-22, 27-25, 25-15) over third-seeded Warner in The Sun Conference Tournament semifinals on Friday at St. Thomas University.
The Eagles (20-9) got 43 digs from Hannah Gray, a school record for a three-set match, to lead a defense that recorded 23 more digs than the Royals (91-68). Tamires Ferreira recorded 40 assists and 20 digs to go along with six kills and a pair of blocks. Cheye-Anne Savage led all players with 13 kills and Evelina Abdurakhmanova chipped in 11 kills and six digs.
Adrienne Czaplewski led Warner with 12 kills and added 10 digs while Marisa Moralobo had 10 kills and 10 digs. Rachel Stanton tallied 18 assists and Heather Lockwood had 24 digs.
Warner led throughout most of the first set until Joslynn Gallop called a timeout with the Eagles trailing 19-16. After the timeout, ERAU scored four straight to take its first lead at 20-19 and went on to win the set, 25-22. Gray helped keep the Eagles in a number of long rallies, registering 20 digs in the set.
ERAU used a 5-0 run early in set two to jump ahead, 8-4, but the lead was short-lived as WU came back to regain the lead at 13-12. Warner maintained the lead until Gallop called timeout at 19-16, just as she had in set one. Just as they did in set one, the Eagles responded out of the timeout, going on a 7-1 run to take control of the set, 23-20. The Royals bounced back with three straight kills from Ivelisse Saint-Clair followed by a Czaplewski service ace to earn set point at 24-23. Abdurakhmanova pounded a kill to fend off set point, and then did so again to points later to tie things at 25. Ferreira followed with a service ace and Ana Pajic terminated the next rally to secure the set for the Blue and Gold, 27-25.
Embry-Riddle scored the first three points in set three and then ran out to a 10-2 advantage, establishing a comfortable lead early on, which it maintained throughout the frame. A kill from Jennifer Beatty built the advantage to double-digits (19-9) and the Eagles cruised to a 25-15 win from that point.
The Eagles advance to The Sun Conference Tournament championship match where they will face the host school and top seed, St. Thomas, at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The winner of Saturday's match will earn The Sun Conference's automatic berth to the NAIA National Championship.
