Despite a tough road trip for a weekday, EMU's volleyball women played very well and nearly picked up an upset in their final ODAC match of the year.  The Royals had a 2-1 lead in sets but couldn't hold off host Emory & Henry in a five-set loss.

The Wasps finished set one on an 11-3 run for a 25-14 win.  But Eastern Mennonite regrouped in the second.  They used an early 5-0 run to take over the lead before EHC came back to jump in front 19-18.  Finally the Royals broke off a 23-23 tie with two quick points to win, 25-23.

The swing set had some wild surges, started by the Wasps jumping to a 9-2 lead.  EMU scored the next eight to take over the advantage.  The two teams then traded leads and ties until kills from Katie Miller (San Antonio, Tex./Brandeis) and Regan Cook (Staunton, Va./Robert E. Lee) clinched a 27-25 decision for EMU.

The Royals led 12-10 in set four until Emory & Henry took over with a 7-1 run.  The women never got closer than three points as the Wasps forced set five, 25-18.

EMU scored the first two points in the clincher and the teams were tied at 6-6.  But the bottom fell out on the night for the Royals, as EHC closed on a 9-1 streak, winning 15-7.

The women hit a solid .154, but couldn't slow down the Wasps who hit .297 and put five players in double figures in kills.

Sara Ritchie (Harrisonburg, Va./Turner Ashby) hammered a match high 15 kills with just one error, hitting .318.  The senior added 12 digs for her eighth double double of the year.  Cook racked up 12 kills out of the middle, and Jillien Puster (Middlesex, Va./Middlesex) put down eight kills with just two attack errors.

Erin Mays (Ridgeway, Va./Westover Christian) led the two-setter offense with 21 assists and 10 digs.  Jasmine Johnson (Staunton, Va./Robert E. Lee) had 17 assists.

Miller led all players with 22 digs.  Kayla Smeltzer (Richmond, Va./Maggie L. Walker) got her hands on five blocks, including one solo.

Now 8-19 overall and 1-10 in the ODAC, the Royals end the season with a tri-match at Marymount on Saturday.  The women play Mary Washington at 3:00pm followed by the host Saints at 5:00pm.