MELBOURNE, Fla. – For the second time this season, the Embry-Riddle volleyball defeated Florida Tech in 3-0 fashion, earning a 25-20, 25-22, 25-21 victory on the road Tuesday night. The win pushes the Eagle record to 14-2 on the season and 7-2 in SSC play, while the Panthers drop to 4-16 overall, 1-8 in conference.
 
The 14-2 start to the season is the best in the NCAA II era; in fact, the last time Embry-Riddle won 14 of its first 16 matches was the 2011 season when it started 14-2 en route to a 30-6 season. The 7-2 mark in conference play is also the best since ERAU joined the SSC; the last season the Eagles won at least seven of their first nine conference matches was 2013 when the Blue and Gold opened Sun Conference play with an 8-1 record.
 
Amelia Hartnett and Jordan Schumacher each tallied a match-high 10 kills, while Melanie Canfield chipped in eight kills in 19 attacks for a .421 attack percentage. Alyssa Rudd led all players with 41 assists and Olivia Roa picked up a match-best 20 digs, while Camden Bitter tied her season high with 17 digs.
 
ERAU jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the first set, and it didn't take long for the advantage to grow to 11-3. Florida Tech battled back to get within one point (15-14) before a Canfield kill kicked off a 7-2 run that helped the Eagles build the lead back up to 22-16. The Panthers quickly scored three straight to make it 22-19, but that was as close as they would get as Embry-Riddle took the opening set, 25-20.
 
Set two was a much closer affair, with neither side leading by more than four points. The Panthers led as late as 15-13, but a 4-0 Eagle run gave ERAU a 17-15 lead, and that would be the third and final lead change of the frame. Embry-Riddle closed out set on a Kristin vom Schemm kill to win by a 25-22 score.
 
The Eagles won four of the first five points in the third set, but Florida Tech rallied with a 4-0 run to take a 9-7 lead. The Blue and Gold quickly answered back, scoring seven straight points as part of an 11-1 run that essentially put the set out of reach at 18-10. The Panthers chipped away at the deficit to get within three (24-21), but it was too little, too late, as Hartnett put down her 10th kill of the match to clinch the set, 25-21.
 
Embry-Riddle continues this three-match road trip on Friday, Oct. 25, with a 7 p.m. match at Lynn.