PORTLAND, Ore. – The Embry-Riddle volleyball team earned two victories on Friday, winning both matches in convincing 3-0 fashion. The Blue and Gold rolled over Missouri S&T (25-18, 25-17, 25-17) to open the day before dispatching of Western Oregon (25-22, 25-23, 25-23) in straight sets to improve to 2-1 on the season.
 
ERAU 3, MS&T 0
 
The Blue and Gold outhit the Miners .282 to .129 and tallied eight service aces to cruise to a three-set victory to open the day, 25-18, 25-17, 25-17.
 
Paola Virella led the Eagles with nine kills while Asya Oguz and McKenna James each chipped in eight kills. Oguz added a match-high three service aces while James and Amanda Saunders each recorded a pair of blocks. Jordan Nakayama tallied 17 assists while Alyssa Rudd picked up 10 as ERAU utilized a 6-2 offense throughout the match.
 
Embry-Riddle jumped out to an early 7-3 lead in the first set and never trailed from that point. The Miners cut the deficit to a single point (9-8), but ERAU went on an 11-4 run to take a commanding 20-12 lead and sailed to a 25-18 first set win.
 
Set two was much more competitive throughout, featuring 10 ties and nine lead changes. A kill by Oguz put ERAU ahead 12-11, marking the last lead change of the frame. That kill came in the midst of a 5-0 run that pushed the Eagle advantage to 15-11. After a pair of Miner points made it 15-13, the Blue and Gold went on a big run, scoring on eight of the next nine rallies to build its lead to 23-14 en route to a convincing 25-17 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
In the final set, Embry-Riddle overcame an early 2-0 hole to quickly take control of the set with an 11-4 lead. Missouri S&T fought back and eventually drew level at 13-13, but a 7-1 Eagle run capped by back-to-back Virella kills put ERAU ahead 20-14. The Blue and Gold never looked back as it closed out the third set with a 25-17 win, completing the 3-0 sweep for the season's first victory.
 
ERAU 3, WOU 0
 
Virella notched 10 kills and 10 digs to register her first double-double as an Eagle and Laina Blanton tallied six kills and seven blocks (one solo) to lead the Blue and Gold to its second 3-0 win of the day (25-22, 25-23, 25-23).
 
Oguz contributed nine kills and nine digs while Maile Spenser collected a team-high 21 digs. Nakayama (20 assists, eight digs) and Rudd (12 assists) once again shared the setting duties for the Eagles.
 
Embry-Riddle used a late 4-0 run, sparked by back-to-back James kills, to take a 20-16 lead in the first set. WOU fought back to cut the lead to 20-19 but the Eagles didn't allow the Wolves to tie the score, eventually pulling out a 25-22 win.
 
Set two saw the Eagles holding a 23-19 lead late when Western Oregon went on a quick 4-1 spurt to trim the deficit to a single point at 24-23. ERAU escaped with a two-point win as WOU's Mariella Vandenkooy committed an attack error to close out the set at 25-23, giving the Eagles a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Western Oregon led throughout the opening stages of the third frame until a 6-1 Eagle rally put Embry-Riddle ahead 13-11. A 5-0 run for the Blue and Gold a few minutes later turned a 14-14 tie into a 19-14 advantage. The Wolves knotted the score at 22-22 before ERAU scored three of the final four points to wrap up the set and the match with a 25-23 win, completing the sweep.
 
The Eagles return to the court next weekend at the Hyatt Place Bash at the Beach hosted by Palm Beach Atlantic. Embry-Riddle will face Bridgeport and Lee on Friday, Sept. 9 in West Palm Beach to open up the two-day tournament.