DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The 21st-ranked Embry-Riddle volleyball team opened up the 2014 campaign with a 3-1 win over 11th-ranked Georgetown (Ky.) on Thursday night in the opening match of the Embry-Riddle Labor Day Tournament. The Eagles dropped the first set, 25-19, before rallying for three consecutive two-point wins, 26-24, 27-25, and 28-26.

The Eagles move to 1-0 on the season while the Tigers fall to 0-1.

Erika Hinel led the Blue and Gold with 13 kills and a .360 hitting percentage while also picking up a match-high seven blocks (one solo). Jennifer Beatty added 11 kills, nine digs and five blocks, while Ana Pajic (nine kills) and Ella Duggan (eight kills) contributed to a balanced offensive attack. Hannah Gray collected a team-high 24 digs while Tamires Ferreira totaled a match-high 39 assists to go along with 14 digs, six kills and five service aces.

Caraline Maher led the Tigers with a match-high 15 kills and six blocks (three solo), while Laure Schneidtmiller tallied 14 kills and eight digs. Caroline Ricks also reached double-figures with 11 kills and added six digs. Courtney Grafton picked up a match-high 25 digs and Lindsey Martindale racked up a team-leading 38 assists.

ERAU fell behind early in set one as Georgetown ran out to an 11-5 lead. A Beatty kill sparked a 5-0 run to pull the Eagles within a point (11-10), but Embry-Riddle couldn't draw even. A block from Beatty and Duggan pushed the score to 20-19, but again, ERAU couldn't get to a tie score, as the Tigers took the set, 25-19.

The Eagles held a slim lead in set two (7-6) before an 11-2 run put Georgetown ahead, 17-9. The Tigers then proceeded to commit six straight errors to put the Eagles right back in the set at 17-15. A service ace from Pajic tied the set at 20-20 and a GC error gave ERAU the lead at 23-22. Back-to-back Eagle errors gave Georgetown set point at 24-23, but Caitlyn Ballard put down a kill to knot things at 24-24. Duggan came up with a big solo block to give ERAU a set point, and a Schneidtmiller error finished the set at 26-24.

The Tigers jumped all over ERAU in set three, taking a 9-1 lead early. GC maintained a large lead throughout the set, holding a 21-14 lead at one point. Embry-Riddle went on a 10-2 run to take a 24-23 lead, and on the third set point got a block from Hinel and Ballard to win the set, 27-25.

The Blue and Gold started off better in set four, holding a 12-9 lead early on. A 6-1 lead saw the Tigers take the lead, but Hinel put down two kills in a row to tie it at 15-15. Hinel then came up with back-to-back blocks to push the Eagles in front, 18-17. A Ferreira service ace made it 22-19, but the Tigers came back with five straight points to take the lead and pull within one point of forcing a fifth set (24-22). A GC error followed by a Beatty kill tied it up once more (24-24) and another Hinel kill gave ERAU match point at 26-25. After trading wideouts, Hinel and Pajic teamed up for the final block, clinching the set, 28-26, and the match, 3-1.

Embry-Riddle continues play in the ERAU Labor Day Tournament tomorrow, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. against No. 4 Madonna. Live video and stats will be available at erauathletics.com/live.