DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle volleyball team closed out the 2016 campaign on a high note on Saturday, winning its final match of the season in four sets over visiting Lynn, 25-21, 22-25, 25-20, 25-21. The win puts ERAU at an even 15-15 for the season, while the Fighting Knights fall to 20-10.
 
Senior Amanda Saunders led the Blue and Gold with 18 kills and added 10 digs in her final match as an Eagle, while fellow senior Asya Oguz contributed 10 kills and five blocks while hitting .346 in her final match at ERAU. McKenna James also tallied 10 kills and Laina Blanton recorded a match-best six blocks (one solo). Jordan Nakayama racked up 34 assists and Maile Spenser picked up 14 digs to lead the Eagles.
 
Embry-Riddle used a 4-0 run late in the first set to pull out to a 20-15 lead and closed the set by winning four of the final five points, earning a 25-21 win in the opening frame.
 
In set two, Lynn grabbed the momentum, taking a 7-1 lead. ERAU slowly chipped away at the deficit and eventually pulled even at 20-20 on a block from Blanton and Theresa Jordan. After the two teams traded pairs of points, the Fighting Knights got the upper hand and won three straight to win the set, 25-22.
 
An 8-0 run midway through set three put the Eagles well out in front, 17-8, which would prove to be an insurmountable deficit for Lynn, though the Fighting Knights got to within three points (23-20) before back-to-back Saunders kills clinched the set in favor the Eagles, 25-20.
 
Set four saw Lynn take an 11-7 lead with an early 5-0 spurt, only to have ERAU rally back to the front, using a 10-2 run to move ahead, 20-15. The teams traded sideouts for the remainder of the set, which allowed Embry-Riddle to cruise to a 25-21 victory, clinching the match, 3-1.