HASTINGS, Neb. – The 21st-ranked Embry-Riddle volleyball team dropped a pair of matches on the final day of the Five Points Bank Invitational, falling to No. 14 Oklahoma Baptist in four sets (25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 25-15) and to No. 7 Midland, 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-23). With the losses, ERAU now stands at 2-5 on the season, while OBU moves to 6-4 and Midland improves to 9-3.
Evelina Abdurakhmanova led the Eagles with 13 kills against Oklahoma Baptist, while
Erika Hinel contributed 12 kills and
Caitlyn Ballard added 10 kills.
Hannah Gray picked up 27 digs while
Tamires Ferreira tallied 43 assists and 14 digs.
Cadyn Laing led the Bison with 14 kills and Lacey Herbert added 11 kills and a .611 hitting percentage. Valerie Stetzer collected 28 digs and Kate Decker record 26 assists, 14 digs and nine kills.
Embry-Riddle jumped out to an 8-2 start in the first set, and used a 5-0 run to move ahead, 13-6. A Ferreira kill made it 17-11 Eagles, but the Bison roared back with a 9-3 run to tie the set at 20-20. After another Ferreira kill, OBU scored three straight to take a 23-21 lead and went on to win the set, 25-22.
Oklahoma Baptist scored six straight to open the second set and maintained a comfortable lead through most of the set. Embry-Riddle fought back late, using a 9-4 run to pull within a point (21-20), but that was as close as the Eagles could get, falling 25-22 in the frame.
The Bison took a 10-5 lead early in set three and looked to be in position to sweep the match. The Blue and Gold didn't give up, using a 4-0 run to tie the set at 17-17. After OBU regained the lead (20-19), ERAU scored six of the final eight points to win the set, 25-22, moving the match to a fourth set.
In set four, Oklahoma Baptist took advantage of an early 5-1 run to take an 8-4 lead and never looked back. An 8-2 run midway through the frame put the Bison ahead 21-13, and they went on to take the set, 25-15, winning the match, 3-1.
In the nightcap, Hinel led the Blue and Gold with seven kills and a .462 hitting percentage. Gray picked up 17 digs and Ferreira tallied 19 assists.
Heather Pribyl paced the Warriors with 13 kills, hitting .632, while Ashlee Harms chipped in with nine kills and eight blocks. Megan Farley registered 37 assists and KC Heimann totaled 12 digs.
Midland came out firing, running out to a 12-1 lead in the first set. ERAU couldn't put together a rally to get closer than nine points, dropping the set, 25-11.
Embry-Riddle got off to a much better start in set two, leading 7-3 early on. But a 10-0 run put the Warriors in front, 13-7, and Midland closed the set on a 6-2 run, winning the frame, 25-14.
The Eagles fell behind 6-2 in the third set, but a 4-1 run brought them back to within a point at 9-8. The Warriors increased the gap to six points (15-9), but ERAU rallied again, using a 6-2 spurt to close the deficit to 17-15. The Blue and Gold needed a 5-2 run late to pull within a point (24-23), but a Pribyl kill finished the set (25-23) and match (3-0) for the Warriors.
The Eagles are back in action next weekend as they open up Sun Conference play at home. ERAU will host St. Thomas on Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. and Florida Memorial on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 12 p.m. Live streaming video and live stats for both matches will be available at erauathletics
