DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Embry-Riddle volleyball welcomed Palm Beach Atlantic to the ICI Center on Tuesday night for the Sunshine State Conference opener, falling in a 3-0 defeat.
The Eagles (7-3, 0-1 SSC) dropped the match 25-20, 25-22, and 25-19 to the Sailfish (8-4, 1-0 SSC), snapping the seven-match winning streak. ERAU finished with 31 kills and a .150 hitting percentage, while PBA had 43 kills and hit .190.
Embry-Riddle stayed close at the net with nine total blocks to PBA's eight. In addition, both teams served four aces.
Dakota Zieman had nine kills for Embry-Riddle,
Fifi Harvey added eight kills and 15 digs, and
Ashlyn Koerner finished with 25 assists and 10 digs.
Kailey Hrbek contributed five total blocks as ERAU matched the Sailfish for long stretches defensively.
The Eagles generated their clearest push in the third set, turning a 5-3 deficit into an 8-6 lead. The stretch included four straight service points, giving Embry-Riddle a response after the Sailfish had moved in front early in the set. That run gave the Blue and Gold a chance to change the set's direction, but the broader match profile favored PBA in attacking volume and back-row production.
To open, ERAU answered the Sailfish's first three points with a Zieman kill from a
Stella Weisbrod assist, a Weisbrod service ace and a Hrbek kill to tie the set at 3-3. ERAU stayed within reach through the middle of the set behind kills from
Haley Manjack, Zieman,
Lindsay Smith and Harvey, while blocks involving Hrbek, Smith, Harvey and Manjack helped trim the margin to 13-11. PBA later built separation with five straight points to reach set point at 24-16, but the Blue and Gold cut into the late deficit with four straight points before PBA closed the opening set, 25-20.
Embry-Riddle built early separation in the second set, opening with three straight points and later answering a 7-7 tie with four straight of its own behind kills from Manjack and Harvey, a PBA error and an
Ashley Lunt service ace for an 11-7 lead. Koerner continued to distribute the offense through the middle of the set, assisting kills by Harvey, Zieman and Smith as the Eagles held an 18-15 edge. The Sailfish responded with four consecutive points to move in front 19-18, but Smith answered with a kill from Koerner to tie the set at 19-19. Koerner added a late kill, and a block by Zieman and Hrbek brought ERAU within 23-22 before PBA took the final two points to win the set 25-22.
The Eagles answered an early 5-3 deficit in the third set with four straight points on Lunt's serve, getting kills from Weisbrod and Harvey before Lunt's ace and a block by Harvey and Manjack put the home side in front 7-5. After PBA pulled back even, Zieman and Hrbek combined for a block that moved Embry-Riddle ahead 11-10, but the Sailfish responded to go up 16-13. Harvey delivered consecutive kills to bring ERAU within 16-15, and the home side was still within 20-17 after a Zieman kill. Smith's late kill and a PBA attack error kept the Eagles alive before Sydney Corbett finished the set for the Sailfish, 25-19.
Inside the Statistics
- Zieman led ERAU with nine kills and 10.5 points, adding five digs and three blocks assists.
- Harvey recorded eight kills and a team-high 15 digs, along with two blocks assists.
- Koerner finished with 25 assists, 10 digs and two kills. Koerner has recorded at least 25 set assists in nine consecutive games.
- Hrbek tallied a team-best five block assists and added two kills. She is now at 21 block assists and six solo blocks for the season.
- As a team, Embry-Riddle has achieved at least 55 digs for the third consecutive game.
- The Eagles' defensive efforts at the net produced a season-best 18 block assists for nine total blocks, moving the season total to 100.
Up Next
ERAU visits Rollins on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Warden Arena in Winter Park, Fla.
