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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics

Huddle_090123_DSC6844
Shamar Rush
3
Winner Tampa UT 28-1,19-1 Sunshine S
2
Embry-Riddle (FL) ERAU 22-8,13-6 Sunshine S
Winner
Tampa UT
28-1,19-1 Sunshine S
3
Final
2
Embry-Riddle (FL) ERAU
22-8,13-6 Sunshine S
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Tampa UT 21 25 21 25 15 (3)
Embry-Riddle (FL) ERAU 25 20 25 19 5 (2)

Game Recap: RV Women's Volleyball | | Kyrin Mayfield | @k_mayfield97

Volleyball Posed Tough Challenge to No. 3 Spartans in 3-2 Loss

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Embry-Riddle volleyball team proved it could hang with the best as the Eagles claimed two of the first three sets against No. 3 Tampa, but the Eagles ultimately lost 3-2 on Thursday night. It was ERAU's third five-set match in the last four contests. 

This meeting had the makings of a postseason preview as Tampa is the top team in the SSC and the South Region while Embry-Riddle is third in both the league standings and region rankings. 

The Spartans controlled set one from the start, scoring six unanswered points to put the Eagles behind 8-4. Immediately, ERAU answered with a four-point streak to even the score at 8-8. Back-to-back kills from Cameron Gilleland put the home team ahead 11-10, but Tampa took the next three points to regain the lead 13-11. With the Spartans still ahead by three (19-16), three UT attacking errors and a trio of Gilleland kills set the Blue and Gold on a 7-1 run to lead 23-20 and eventually win the set 25-21. Gilleland came out swinging, registering almost a quarter of the team's points in the set with six kills. 

Tampa answered in set two by claiming six of the opening seven points. The Spartans' lead increased with a four-point spurt soon after to force the Eagles into a 10-2 deficit. Though Embry-Riddle did make the end of the set uncomfortable for Tampa by going on a 10-3 run to make the score 24-20, the Spartans closed the set out during the next rally. 

Set three was almost all Eagles from start to finish. ERAU tied the score at 1-1 and never trailed the rest of the way. The Eagles led by as much as five points, but Tampa made a late surge on three straight kills to even the score at 21-21. Fortunately, two Spartan errors put the Blue and Gold up 23-21, and Devyn Petrowski sealed the set with two aces in a row. Embry-Riddle limited the top team in the conference in terms of hit percentage to just .167 in the set.

The fourth set was controlled by Tampa from the beginning. The Spartans started with a 5-1 run and grew their lead up to eight (23-15) with six straight points. Though the Eagles grabbed four of the next five points, Tampa evened the match at two sets each with a 25-19 set win. 

The Spartans mimicked their fourth-set performance in set five by once again opening with a 5-1 scoring streak. Six straight points pushed ERAU farther behind at 13-4, and Tampa eventually took the set 15-5. 

Gilleland picked up a double-double with 15 kills and digs each, Jaden McBride chipped in 13 kills and seven digs, and Isabella Rujano added 11 kills and five digs. Grace Datil earned her first double in over a month with 23 assists and 12 digs. Petrowski set a single-game career high in aces with five to go along with 18 assists and six digs. Gabriela Pagan once again led the team in digs with 18, and Kailey Hrbek was the top blocker with three. 

The regular season concludes with senior night on Saturday when the Eagles host Florida Southern at 4 p.m. 
The 2023 Embry-Riddle volleyball season is presented by Radiology Associates.
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