The No. 7-ranked Emory volleyball team saw its attempt to defend its University Athletic Association title come up short Saturday afternoon as No. 19-ranked Washington University captured a four-set victory.  The Bears raised their overall record to 24-9 following a 25-23, 17-25, 25-16, 25-17 decision over the Eagles who saw their eight-match win streak come to an end and overall record slip to 27-6.

WU finished the contest with a .270 (48-14—126) to .200 (53-24—145) edge in hitting percentage, and totaled 52 digs to the Eagles' 51.  The Bears also held a 7-4 advantage in total blocks as they handed Emory its first defeat at the Woodruff PE Center in 14 starts.

Sophomore Sara Carr led the Emory offensive attack with a match-high tying 14 kills, and also contributed 10 digs, while freshman Leah Saunders totaled 12 terminations to go along with a .304 (12-5—23) hitting effort.  Junior Karissa Dzurik was next up on the team's scoresheet with nine successful attack opportunities while sophomore Carly Saitman hit .357 on the strength of seven kills with two errors in 14 swings.  Saitman also led the club with three (1-2) total blocks.

The opening set saw WU bolt out to a 17-7 lead before Emory rattled off an 8-1 surge to draw to within three points at 15-18. A kill by Dzurik sliced Emory's deficit to two points (20-22) before block assists by Saunders and Saitman cut the gap to one point.  After a Bears' point put them up, 24-22, the Eagles stayed alive when Carr banged out a kill.  However, the visitors shut down an Emory attack attempt to notch the first set. 

The second game was Emory's best of the afternoon as it hit .312 (16-6—32) while holding the Bears to .087 (6-4—23).   Holding a 17-12 edge, Emory went on a 5-0 run, with Carr accounting for the first three points with kills, followed by a service ace from junior setter Mady Arles, to race to a 22-12 cushion.  A kills by McKnight closed out the set, allowing Emory to knot the match at 1-1.  WU turned the tables on Emory in the third game, hitting .267 to the Eagles' .088, and using a 10-2 blitz that snapped a 12-12 tie en route to claiming a 22-14 lead.  In the fourth and final set, Emory trailed by a 9-7 score before WU accounted for five of the next six points to claim a 14-8 edge. A kill by freshman Maggie Rimmel drew Emory to within three points, but a 5-0 WU spurt stretched its lead to 20-12.  

Emory will find out as to what awaits it in the postseason when bids to the NCAA Division III Tournament are announced on Monday (Nov. 6) at 12:30 pm (EST) on ncaa.com.