DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — After five matches away from Daytona Beach, Embry-Riddle volleyball returned to the ICI Center on Saturday for a tough home clash against RV Lewis. The Eagles (7-2) defeated the Flyers (6-5) by winning sets one, three, and four each by the score of 25-23. ERAU has now advanced its winning streak to seven straight matches.
ERAU came in clutch in the fourth set, moving from a 22-20 deficit to win 25-23. That finish included a four-point closing burst from 21-22 and ended with set point on a Lewis error. The Eagles also handled late-set situations earlier, converting set point at 24-23 in the first set and again at 24-23 in the third set, the latter also coming on a Lewis error. Even in the second set, Embry-Riddle cut a six-point deficit to two after trailing 18-12, keeping the set within reach at 22-20.
ERAU finished with 48 kills and hit .182, while Lewis had 53 kills and hit .115 with 33 attack errors. Lewis held advantages in service aces, 9-2, and total blocks, 9-8, but the Eagles kept rallies alive with 70 digs. Individually,
Dakota Zieman finished with 17 kills, while
Ashlyn Koerner had 38 assists and 18 digs and
Taylor Fonseca added 22 digs.
In the opening frame, ERAU built early separation with help from
Haley Manjack, who had a kill and teamed with Koerner on a block, before Zieman added a kill to make it 10-8 after a Lewis run. Zieman followed with another kill, and
Kailey Hrbek and Koerner combined on a block as the Eagles pushed the set to 13-9 before
Lindsay Smith's kill made it 15-9. Embry-Riddle finished the first set after Lewis cut a 24-20 margin to 24-23, with Zieman putting away a kill from Fonseca's assist for the 25-23 win.
In the second set, things stayed even through 9-9 as Harvey, Hrbek, Zieman and Smith all supplied kills, with Koerner assisting several of those swings. Lewis created separation with a five-point stretch to go ahead 14-9, then later pushed the margin to 18-12 before Embry-Riddle answered behind a Harvey kill, a Manjack kill and another Zieman finish. ERAU cut a six-point deficit to two late in the second set, using a Smith kill and back-to-back block points involving Hrbek to move within 22-20. After Lewis reached set point at 24-20, Smith added a kill and the Eagles benefited from a Lewis attack error, but Lewis closed the set on a block for a 25-22 finish.
The third set closed with ERAU breaking a 23-23 tie, getting a Smith kill from Koerner for set point before a Lewis attack error finished a 25-23 win. Earlier, the set stayed tight through repeated ties, with Harvey, Manjack, Hrbek, Zieman and Smith supplying kills as the Eagles answered Lewis points throughout the opening and middle stages. After Lewis moved ahead 19-18 on a service ace, Zieman answered with a kill from
Ashley Lunt, and Embry-Riddle followed with a Lewis attack error and another Zieman kill to go up 21-19. Lewis tied the set again at 22-22 and 23-23, but ERAU scored the final two points to take the set.
In the fourth set, Smith, Harvey, Manjack, Koerner and Zieman produced kills as ERAU repeatedly answered Lewis leads, with
Grace Datil adding a service ace during the middle of the set. After Lewis moved ahead 20-17 and later 22-19, Zieman delivered three kills in a four-point stretch, including consecutive points that tied the set at 22-22. Lewis went back in front 23-22, but Smith tied it with a kill from a Weisbrod assist before a Lewis bad set gave Embry-Riddle set point. Hrbek and Harvey combined on the final block, forcing an attack error to close the 25-23 set win.
Inside the Statistics
- Zieman led Embry-Riddle with 17 kills and while adding eight digs, achieving a season-high in total kills.
- Koerner finished with 38 assists, 18 digs and three block assists, marking two consecutive games with at least 38 assists and 18 digs.
- Fonseca collected a team-high 22 digs, marking a season-high for her.
- Hrbek recorded six total blocks, including two solo blocks, and added three kills. Hrbek's two solo blocks were a season-high as well.
- The Eagles have totaled at least 48 kills in two consecutive games and recorded at least 70 digs in two consecutive games.
- ERAU has also achieved at least 45 set assists and recorded at least eight blocks in two consecutive games.
Up Next
ERAU volleyball opens Sunshine State Conference play on Tuesday, Sept. 15, welcoming Palm Beach Atlantic at 6 p.m. at ICI Center.
