LAKELAND, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle volleyball team suffered a 3-2 defeat at Florida Southern on Friday night, falling to the Mocs 25-23, 25-17, 22-25, 23-25, 15-11. With the loss, the Eagles drop to 25-5 overall and 15-4 in conference play, while the Mocs improve to 14-12, 10-9 in SSC matches.
 
Jaden McBride put down a team-high 14 kills and added 10 digs while Cameron Gilleland tallied 13 kills and 16 digs. Sam Lanning had a match-best six blocks and Amia Owolabi chipped in with five kills and three blocks while hitting .500. Aly Freeland collected a team-leading 27 digs and Emily Weaver dished out a team-high 33 assists.
 
The Eagles jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the first set, but a 7-0 run put Florida Southern in the lead, 19-16. The Blue and Gold battled back, using a 3-1 spurt to tie things at 23, but the Mocs scored the final two points to clinch the set, 25-23.
 
ERAU held a 6-4 lead early in set two before a 4-0 rally gave FSC an 8-6 lead. Moments later Florida Southern went on an 8-1 run to extend its lead to 16-9. A 7-1 Eagle run trimmed the deficit to just two points (18-16), but the Mocs finished the frame winning seven of the last eight points to win it, 25-17.
 
Embry-Riddle used a 4-0 run midway through the third set to take a 15-13 lead, though Florida Southern responded and eventually retook the lead, 18-17. An Owolabi kill sparked a 3-0 spurt to push the Eagles ahead, 20-18, but FSC came back to tie things up at 22. ERAU took advantage of a pair of Moc errors and Freeland ended the set with a service ace, giving the Eagles a 25-22 win.
 
A 5-1 run for FSC put the Mocs ahead 14-10 in the fourth set. Florida Southern held the lead until a 4-0 spurt sparked by a Freeland kill put the Eagles on top, 21-20. FSC scored three of the next four to lead 23-22, but a point penalty on the Mocs coaching staff turned the tide. The sanction tied the set at 23 and Owolabi and Lanning teamed up to put down blocks on the next two points to finish the set, 25-23, sending the match to a decisive fifth set.
 
After Embry-Riddle scored two of the first three points in set five, Florida Southern rattled off five in a row to take a 6-2 lead. ERAU chipped away, eventually pulling to within a point at 12-11, but the Mocs closed it out with three straight points to win the set, 15-11, taking the match 3-2.
 
The Eagles will close out the regular season tomorrow afternoon with a 4 p.m. contest at No. 9 Tampa.