DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Led by first-year starters
Cameron Gilleland and
Jaden McBride, the Embry-Riddle volleyball team swept Lynn 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-20) to improve to 11-0 on the season and 3-0 in conference play. The loss drops the Fighting Knights, who won the last SSC regular season title in 2019, to 4-6 overall and 1-2 in league matches.
The victory over Lynn is ERAU's first since Nov. 3, 2017, and it is the first time the Eagles have swept the Fighting Knights since Oct. 30, 2000.
Gilleland led all players with 18 kills and added nine digs, while McBride racked up 15 kills and seven digs. Emily weaver totaled a match-high 37 assists to go along with 13 digs, while
Kendyl Taylor collected a team-high 16 digs.
After Lynn scored the opening point, ERAU rattled off six consecutive tallies, including two Gilleland kills, to jump out to a 6-1 lead. The advantage would prove to be short-lived as Lynn used a 6-0 run to regain the lead, 10-9. The Eagles responded a few points later by going on a 9-2 run, keyed by four more Gilleland kills, to pull ahead, 19-13. The two teams traded sideouts for the next 10 points until back-to-back kills by the Blue and Gold clinched the opening set, 25-18.
The Eagles took an early 4-1 lead in set two and never looked back, maintaining a lead for the remainder of the frame. An 8-0 run created a good deal of separation at 13-4 and the margin would eventually grow as large as 12 at 19-7. Lynn chipped away, eventually closing the gap to four points (24-20), but an attack error on ERAU's sixth set point finally closed the door at 25-20.
The Fighting Knights held a slim 4-2 lead in the beginning stages of the third set, but a 6-1 spurt put Embry-Riddle ahead, 8-5. A 5-1 rally built the lead to 14-8, and a Gilleland kill extended the advantage to seven points at 20-13. Lynn scored the next four points to make it interesting at 20-17, but a big block from
Melanie Canfield and Weaver stemmed the tide, and the Eagles went on to win the set, 25-20, giving ERAU its first sweep of Lynn in over two decades.
The Blue and Gold are right back at it tomorrow afternoon as ERAU hosts Palm Beach Atlantic in another Sunshine State Conference match at 4 p.m. inside the ICI Center.
