The EMU volleyball women have nearly equaled their win total from last season, just five matches into the new year.  Thursday night, the Royals took care of Mary Baldwin 3-0 in Yoder Arena to improve to 3-2 in 2013.  They finished 4-19 last fall.

A big 7-0 run early in game  one set the tone for the night as the women rolled to a 25-18 win in the opener.  EMU never trailed in game two, and used an 8-0 run to push to a 25-16 decision.  By game three, the Royals' serving was too much for the Fighting Squirrels, as eight service aces led to a 25-12 finish.

Eastern Mennonite finished with 15 service aces, led by nine from Kayley Argenbright (Fishersville, Va./Wilson Memorial).  The women also hit .256 as a team and we led by Rebecca Hardy's (Port Republic, Va./Eastern Mennonite) 11 kills along with three block assists.  D Probst (Willow Street, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) had nine kills, and senior Rachel Kennel (Parkesburg, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) had eight kills with a solo stuff and four block assists.

Jessica Goertzen (Goessel, Kan./Goessel) set the first two games and had 20 set assists, with Dani Driver (Cheverly, Md./Elizabeth Seton) playing in the third and dishing out eight helpers.

The Royals have a tall task this weekend, playing four matches against tough competition at the Guetle Invitational.  The tourney, which is hosted by Catholic University in Washington, DC, is on Saturday and Sunday.