A solid win in game one on the road wasn't enough momentum for the EMU women Tuesday night, as they fell 3-1 to Virginia Wesleyan in Virginia Beach.  The Royals slide to 2-2 in ODAC play and 6-7 overall.

Eastern Mennonite landed four service aces in the opener and exploded to a 21-10 lead before winning 25-17.  But the Marlins regrouped in the second, running to a 21-12 cushion.  The women responded with a 4-0 run, but still fell 25-19.

In the crucial third game, the Royals slowly built up a 20-16 lead.  VWC's offense came alive at that point and rattled off eight unanswered points to swing in front, leading to a 25-21 win.  EMU led by as many as three points early in game four, but another 8-0 run by the Marlins gave them a lead they wouldn't let go in a 25-20 final.

D Probst (Willow Street, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) swatted 13 kills to lead the women, while McKenna Carter Waynesboro, Va./Stuarts Draft) put down 11 kills on just 20 swings.  Rachel Kennel (Parkesburg, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) added nine kills and two service aces.  Setter Dani Driver (Cheverly, Md./Elizabeth Seton) had 37 assists to go with her two aces.  After the hot start, the women finished with just five service aces.

Alena Yoder (Elkhart, Ind./Bethany Christian) and libero Katie Miller (San Antonio, Tex./Brandeis) each had 16 digs to lead in the back row.

The Royals have a week off before their next match, a non-conference date at Southern Virginia on Sept. 24.  That starts a stretch of four matches in five days.