HARRISONBURG, Va. (EMU Athletics) – EMU welcomed in Virginia Wesleyan to Harrisonburg on Wednesday, with the #18 ranked Marlins coming off a big weekend.

EMU played one of their best matches of the season, giving VWU all they could handle, but it was the Marlins picking up the 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-12) win.

Records: EMU 5-17, 1-7 ODAC | Virginia Wesleyan 23-1, 9-0 ODAC

Highlights

Set One: VWU 25, EMU 19
• The teams swapped points to EMU leading 4-3, after two errors and kills by Kenley Smith and Lindsay Bly. The Marlins responded with a 12-2 run, pulling ahead 15-6.
• The Marlins were able to extend their lead late, 20-10, but EMU started clawing away at the VWU lead. Four straight points pulled the Royals within six, highlighted by a kill from Emma Rogers and a block from Kaitlyn Custis and Smith.
• After an attack error from from EMU, the Royals then went on another run, this time 5-1, picking up kills from Smith, Bly and Emma Greer and an ace from Custis, to cut VWU’s lead to three, 22-19. Unfortunately for EMU, the Marlins reeled off three straight points to pick up the set one win.

Set Two: VWU 25, EMU 23
• Things started out even once again, with things tied at three through the first six points. VWU then reeled off four straight to take a lead, and, later in the set, extended it to eight with a 5-1 tilt.
• After kills from Greer and Smith, Virginia Wesleyan picked up a point to lead 17-9. The Royals rallied, winning five of the next six points, including two kills from Bly and two service aces from Emerson Moats, to cut the Marlins lead to four.
• VWU continued to maintain a five to six point lead until, with the Marlins leading 23-17, EMU pulled within one with a 6-1 run, using kills from Bly, Greer and Smith, a block from Logan Turchetta and Smith and a Moats ace. A kill from VWU’s Hannah Smith, the second leading kills collector in the ODAC, wrapped up the set for VWU and gave them a 2-0 lead.

Set Three: VWU 25, EMU 12
• VWU came out firing in the third, jumping out to a big 18-4 lead. EMU went on a 5-1 run, using two kills from Greer and one from Bly, to pull within 10, 19-9.
• Two service errors and a Smith kill would be all the scoring for EMU in the final nine points, as the Marlins wrapped up the win.

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Bly (8), Greer (7)
Assists: Custis (12), Mckenzie Taylor (11)
Digs: Moats (12)
Aces: Moats (3)
Blocks: Turchetta, Smith (2)

What’s Next
The Royals will be off for the next seven days, before returning to action next Wednesday at Lynchburg. First serve against the Hornets is set for 6:30 pm.

— EMU Athletics —