DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Erika Barbour recorded 17 kills, 11 digs, and a career-high five service aces to lead the Embry-Riddle volleyball team to a 3-1 win (25-23, 23-25, 25-11, 25-21) over the visiting Florida Tech Panthers. The victory improves ERAU's mark to 18-9, 9-8 in conference, while FIT falls to 9-19, 4-13 in SSC play.
 
In addition to Barbour, Melanie Canfield (14 kills, nine digs) and McKenna James (10 kills) each tallied double-digit kills. Olivia Roa collected a match-best 20 digs and Alyssa Rudd circulated a match-high 50 assists.
 
The first set was back-and-forth, with both sides using runs of five consecutive points to take slim leads, but neither team could pull away. The Panthers led 23-22 before kills from Theresa Jordan and Canfield flipped the lead to Embry-Riddle and an FIT error on the ensuing point clinched the set, 25-23 in favor of the Eagles.
 
Set two was again a close battle; ERAU held the largest lead at 15-10 but Florida Tech rallied late, using a 4-0 run to tie the set at 21. The teams traded sideouts for the next four points but it was the Panthers who scored the clutch points at the end of the set, finishing the frame with three straight points to win it, 25-23.
 
The Blue and Gold scored the first five points of the third set, three of which came via blocks. The Eagles put the frame out of reach with an 8-0 run featuring three Barbour aces that turned a 14-9 advantage into a commanding 22-9 lead, enabling the home team to cruise to a 25-11 win.
 
Embry-Riddle went on four different 3-0 spurts in the fourth set, using the quick bursts to build up an 18-12 lead. That margin was quickly wiped away when Florida Tech went on a tear, scoring seven straight to take a 19-18 lead. ERAU got back in front with back-to-back points, but the Panthers responded in kind and found themselves leading 21-20, looking to push the match to a fifth set. The Eagles had one last reply of their own, scoring five consecutive points to secure the set, 25-21, ending the match at three sets to one.
 
The Eagles will hit the road for the final time on Friday, Nov. 2, as they close out the road portion of the 2018 regular season with a 7 p.m. contest at Eckerd.