ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle volleyball team got its 2019 season off to a strong start on Friday with a pair of wins on the first day of the Flagler Saints Classic. ERAU opened the day with a 25-18, 26-24, 25-18 win over Lees-McRae (0-5) before capping the day with a 25-19, 25-22, 18-25, 25-21 defeat of Walsh (2-2).
 
Although Hurricane Dorian canceled the Eagles' season-opening tournament last weekend, the Blue and Gold showed no signs of early-season rust as ERAU hit .356 in the morning win over Lees-McRae, including a blistering .562 attack percentage in the first set.
 
Melanie Canfield led the way with a match-high 18 kills and a program-record .739 attack percentage with just one error on 23 total attacks. Kristin vom Schemm tacked on 17 kills in her first match as an Eagle, while Alyssa Rudd tallied a match-high 40 assists and Olivia Roa picked up a match-leading 10 digs.
 
Embry-Riddle used a 6-1 run to turn an 8-8 tie into a 14-9 lead, and the Eagles pulled away on the strength of a 7-2 run that built the lead up to 23-15. Amelia Hartnett put down the final kill of the set to clinch the 25-18 win.
 
The Blue and Gold jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead in the second set thanks to three kills and a service ace from vom Schemm. A 4-0 spurt increased the lead to 18-13 and another vom Schemm kill gave the Eagles set point at 24-17. LMC was able to rattle off seven consecutive points to draw even at 24-24, but back-to-back vom Schemm kills gave the Eagles the set win at 26-24.
 
ERAU fell behind 4-1 early in the third set, and the Blue and Gold wouldn't hold a lead until three straight Canfield kills put the Eagles ahead 18-16. Embry-Riddle ended up closing out the set and match on an 11-2 run, winning the frame by a 25-18 score to complete the 3-0 sweep.
 
In the afternoon match, the Eagles attack percentage dipped to .246, though they closed out the contest with a solid .436 attack percentage in the fourth set.
 
Newcomer Jordan Schumacher led the team with 15 kills while Amelia Hartnett added 14 kills and vom Schemm tallied 11 kills and 10 digs. Rudd led all players with 44 assists and Roa collected a match-high 19 digs.
 
In the opening set, a Schumacher kill at 5-5 sparked a quick 4-0 spurt that evolved into a 12-4 run to put the Eagles comfortably ahead, 17-9. Walsh rallied to pull within two points (18-16), but the Blue and Gold closed out the frame on a 6-2 run to claim a 25-19 win.
 
Set two saw a Jenna Bishop solo block lead to a 4-0 run that turned a 12-10 deficit into at 14-12 lead. The Cavaliers retook the lead at 17-16, but a Hartnett kill sparked a 3-0 spurt to put the Eagles back in front, 19-17. Walsh drew even at 22-22 before the Eagles put down three straight kills to win the set, 25-22.
 
In set three, the Cavaliers used a 6-0 run to build an 18-11 lead which would prove to be insurmountable. A kill by Rudd brought the Blue and Gold back to within four (21-17), but Walsh was able to hang on for a 25-18 win to send the match to a fourth set.
 
The Cavaliers carried their momentum into the fourth set, running out to an early 10-4 lead. Embry-Riddle got back into the set thanks to a 6-0 run to tie things up at 11, and ERAU finally pulled ahead on a Canfield kill that made it 14-13. Walsh briefly regained the lead (18-17) but a Theresa Jordan kill followed by back-to-back kills from Hartnett put the Blue and Gold back in front, 20-18. ERAU would not relinquish the lead for the rest of the match, closing it out on a 5-2 run to clinch the set, 25-21, and the match, 3-1.
 
The Eagles will wrap up the Flagler Saints Classic with two more matches tomorrow in St. Augustine. ERAU will face West Georgia at 2 p.m. before capping the tournament against the hosts, Flagler, at 7 p.m.