Playing before an energized home crowd at the Woodruff PE Center, the Emory University volleyball team came through with an exciting five-set win over NCAA Division II member West Georgia on Thursday evening.  The Eagles raised their record to 7-2 following a 27-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-11 decision over the Wolves who slipped to 6-3.

Senior Tara Martin paced the attack with a season-high 16 kills, hitting .289 in the process (16-5—38), and adding three block assists.  Freshman Lily Martin was next up on the team's scoresheet with 14 terminations, her fourth double-figure performance of the campaign, while classmate Alana Dawson registered a dozen successful attack attempts and nine digs. Sophomore Abby Heimlicher gave the squad a boost, hitting .417 on the strength of six terminations with one error in 12 swings.  Heimlicher also tied freshman Madison Cail with a match-high tying five (1-4) blocks, helping Emory to a 10-6 edge in that category. Junior setter Cassie dished out a season-high 47 assists and contributed a team-best 13 digs and seven kills.  Freshman Deborah Hong kept the Wolves off balance with her tough serving resulting in six aces.

In the deciding fifth set, two kills by Tara Martin and one each by Dawson and sophomore Carly Wallace fueled a 5-1 Eagle spurt that put them ahead, 6-2.  The Wolves drew to within one point at 9-8 before the Eagles registered four of the set's next five points to move ahead by a 13-9 count.  UWG totaled two straight points, by Emory closed the contest out with kills by Tara Martin and Dawson.

UWG ended the match with a .256 (59-19—156) hitting mark compared to Emory's .201 (61-29—159).  The Eagles did finish with a 70-60 advantage in digs with four players finishing in double figures in that department.

The Eagles, ranked No. 5 in this week's AVCA D-III Coaches Poll, return to action on Saturday (Sept. 18) when they play Case Western Reserve and Brandeis University in opening-day action at the University Athletic Association Round Robin 1.  Serving as the host of the Round Robin will be the University of Chicago.