The Emory University volleyball team won an electric four-set match over Trinity on Friday evening in the Woodruff PE Center in its first match of the East-West Classic.
The No. 14 ranked Eagles took down the No. 2 ranked Tigers, handing them their first loss of the season, by a score of 19-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-21. After a tough first set, the Eagles rode the energy from a riveting home crowd to tight but decisive victories in the following three sets. Emory finished the match with 62 kills on a hitting percentage of .242 (62-25--153) tallying 15 more total kills than Trinity. The Eagles also came up with some big serves in some of the most critical moments of the match notching an astounding 13 service aces for the match. The Eagles ramped up the defensive pressure at the net with six total blocks spread between five different Emory athletes.
Sophomore Alana Dawson was a force to be reckoned with, smashing home 18 total kills, the team's best mark of the season, on an outstanding .361 hitting percentage (18-5--36). Sophomore Lily Martin recorded a double-double, the team's second of the season, recording 11 kills and 12 digs as she could be found all over the court tonight. The play of sophomore Deborah Hong could not be ignored as she led the team with 24 digs including a few pivotal, mind-boggling ups in the fourth set. Freshman Kaya Monrose had the biggest match of her career to date, contributing 12 kills on a .292 hitting percentage (12-5--24).
The Eagles started the first set strong, coming out to an early 6-2 lead thanks to some highlight reel kills from Dawson, but couldn't hold on eventually letting the set slip away 25-19. The second set was a much tighter affair that saw the Eagles trailing by as much as four in the middle of the set. With Emory bringing the set back to 20-20, the set turned into a battle of nerves but some gutsy play from Monrose and a back-breaking roll shot from junior Carly Wallace saw the Eagles tie the match up at a set apiece with a 25-22 set victory.
The Eagles came roaring out of the gate in set three opening up a 12-7 lead thanks in large part to two service aces from freshman Elly Beshears. The Tigers weren't done battling though as they would eventually recapture a 20-19 lead thanks to some strong play from their outside hitters. Dawson again proved she was up to the task earning kills on two of the final five points for the Eagles, including a massive spike on set point, to earn Emory the two sets to one lead.
Another fast start to the set saw Emory open up a five point lead but the Tigers continued to do what they had done all match and battled back this time taking a 21-19 lead and threatening a fifth set for the Eagles. The Eagles, riding a huge home crowd boost, were able to rally off six straight points on the back of Wallace's impressive serving to close out the match and earn the win over the No. 2 ranked team in the nation, marking the first time the Eagles have defeated the No. 2 or higher ranked team since November of 2019.
The Eagles are set to continue play at the East-West Classic tomorrow where they will take on No. 7 Johns Hopkins at 2:30 and No. 1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 6:00 PM at the Woodruff PE Center.