ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – For the fourth time in as many seasons, the Embry-Riddle volleyball team notched back-to-back wins on opening day. The Eagles downed UNC Pembroke 3-1 in the first match of the Flagler Saints Invitational and followed with a 3-2 win over Davenport to move to 2-0 on the young 2022 season. The Eagles close out tournament play with two more matches on Saturday, taking on Newberry at 3 p.m. and host Flagler at 7:30 p.m.
Eagles vs. UNC Pembroke
In the first match,
Cameron Gilleland led the Eagle hitters with 17 kills, while
Jaden McBride notched a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs to go with three service aces and two blocks.
Sierra Scanlan handed out 38 assists, while
Tamzen Wilson finished with a match-high 21 digs.
The Eagles scored five of the first six points to open the first set. The Braves were able to pull within two late in the set, but ERAU did not relinquish the lead and took the first set 25-22.
UNCP scored the first point of the second set and jumped out to a 9-5 lead before the Eagles tied it up at 12-12. The set remained tight the rest of the way, and in the end, it was Braves who pulled out the 25-22 win to tie the match score at 1-1.
The start of the third was just as close as the end of the second. Holding a 13-10 edge, ERAU went on a 6-1 run to take a 19-11 advantage and closed out the frame with a 25-14 to lead the match 2-1.
The fourth frame saw the Eagles erase a three-point deficit to overtake UNCP.
Amia Owolabi hit a blistering .875 with seven kills in the fourth as the Blue and Gold outscored the Braves 25-17 to clinch the match.
Eagles vs. Davenport
The second match of the day was a five-set battle between the Eagles and Davenport. Hitting .286 as a team, the Panthers won the first set 25-22.
The Eagles fought back, using a .423 hitting percentage to tie the match with a win in the second set. The Blue and Gold opened the set on a 7-2 run, but the Panthers were able to close the gap, tying the score at 15-15. Both teams traded points over the next few rallies until the Eagles rattled off three points in a row to reclaim a three-point advantage on the way to a 25-20 win.
The Eagles dominated the third set, hitting .379 compared to just .077 by Davenport. After taking a 4-1 lead to begin the set, ERAU closed out the frame on a 12-4 run to win 25-14.
Trailing 2-1, the Panthers took advantage of an Eagle hitting slump to take the fourth 25-20.
In the fifth and deciding set, Wilson led the defense with nine of the squad's 16 digs and Gilleland and McBride combined for seven kills as the Eagles' scored 11 of their 15 fifth-set points off kills. The Eagles led from wire-to-wire in the final set earning their second victory of the year with a 15-11 win.
Gilleland capped her day with 18 kills, seven digs and four service aces. McBride added 12 kills and nine digs, while Owolabi and
Constanza Silva totaled six blocks apiece.
The 2022 Embry-Riddle Volleyball season is presented by Radiology Associates.
