ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle volleyball team extended its win streak to eight on Saturday with a 3-1 win (25-19, 25-21, 30-32, 29-27) at Eckerd. The victory improves the Eagles' record to 24-4 and 14-3 in SSC play, while the Tritons fall to 17-12, 8-10 in conference matches.
 
Cameron Gilleland led all players with 22 kills to go along with seven digs and five blocks, while Jaden McBride contributed 19 kills and 13 digs. Jenna Bishop had a match-leading seven blocks and Sam Lanning added six blocks. Aly Freeland picked up a team-high 19 digs and Emily Weaver totaled a match-best 42 assists.
 
The first set was a back-and-forth affair that featured 10 ties and five lead changes. A 3-0 spurt midway through the frame put ERAU ahead, 13-11, which proved to be the final lead change of the set. A 5-0 run late in the frame extended the lead to 23-17 and after trading sideouts, the Eagles claimed a 25-19 win.
 
The Blue and Gold scored the first three points of set two and used a 9-3 run to establish a 13-7 lead. A 4-0 run late in the frame extended the lead to 22-15, but the Tritons immediately responded with six consecutive points to trim the margin to a single point at 22-21. A service error stopped the run, and the Eagles made quick work of the final two points with a kill and a block by Gilleland on the next two rallies to clinch the set, 25-21.
 
Set three saw 16 different ties and seven lead changes in what ended up as one of the longest sets of the season for the Blue and Gold. The Tritons led by as many as three (19-16) before ERAU went on a 7-2 run to take a 23-21 lead. Eckerd scored on the next two points, but an attack error made it 24-23 and gave Embry-Riddle its first match point. EC survived that point only to see McBride put down a kill to earn match point number two. Eckerd again stayed alive and continued to do so even as Gilleland put down a pair of kills that earned ERAU match points three and four. The Tritons then won four out of five points to escape with a 32-30 win, sending the match to a fourth set.
 
Eckerd jumped out to a 5-1 lead in set four and maintained an advantage until a late 4-0 run pushed the Eagles ahead, 23-21. The Tritons responded with three straight points to take a 24-23 lead, but a McBride kill staved off set point. After a service error gave EC another set point, Gilleland came up with a big kill to keep things going at 25-25. An attack error created Embry-Riddle's fifth match point, but Eckerd got a kill to stay alive and followed that with an ace to earn its third set point. Once again it was Gilleland with the big kill to tie it at 27, and after a setting error put ERAU on the precipice for a sixth time, Gilleland and Lanning teamed up for the match-winning block to clinch the fourth set, 29-27.
 
Embry-Riddle returns home to host Florida Tech on Tuesday, Nov. 16. That will be the final home contest of the 2021 season, and prior to the match the Eagles will honor five seniors: Melanie Canfield, Emily Weaver, Amelia Hartnett, Sydney Ellis, and Charyari Ramos. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.