The Royals went the distance twice Saturday at their own tri-match, but unfortunately came up just short both times.  EMU's volleyball women dropped an ODAC match to Guilford before falling to Bluefield State in a non-conference affair.  Both contests went a full five sets.

Guilford 3, EMU 2
The Royals looked like they were in complete control in set one, breaking off a 4-4 tie with a 12-2 run.  Guilford got back within four before the women closed on another big 9-1 run for a 25-13 win.

Game two was just as quick, although the result was flip-flopped.  The Quakers scored the first six points and ended on a 9-1 run for a 25-12 decision.

The third set was close and locked at 10-10 until the Royals took over with a 5-0 run.  It was all EMU after that, with Janna Williams (Kenbridge, Va./Kenston Forest) closing out a 25-15 win with a big kill.

Guilford scored first in the fourth set and never trailed.  But EMU kept it close, drawing within one point three different times, including at 22-21, before the Quakers took a 25-21 win.

The visitors again took an early lead in the decisive game five and led by as many as three at 10-7 and 12-9.  EMU tied it at 13-13 with a Dani Driver (Cheverly, Md./Elizabeth Seton) service ace, but Guilford stole two quick points to win the match, 15-13.

While the offense didn't stand out, the Royals stayed in the game with 11 service aces.  Sara Ritchie (Harrisonburg, Va./Turner Ashby) and Katie Miller (San Antonio, Tex./Brandeis) each had three aces, while Driver and Jasmine Johnson (Staunton, Va./Robert E. Lee) each landed two.  Johnson had 22 set assists while Driver added 16.

Regan Cook (Staunton, Va./Robert E. Lee) led the attack with 10 kills and Kaitlin Miller (Sellersville, Pa./Christopher Dock) had an efficient seven kills on just 19 attempts.  Katie Miller led the back row with 22 digs.

Bluefield State 3, EMU 2
Facing a taller and more athletic Bluefield State team in the finale of the tri-match, the Royals stepped up their game.  The Lady Blues had an edge much of set one and held on for a 25-20 decision.  EMU came back from an 18-11 deficit in set two to win 25-23 on a kill from Becca Hardy (Port Republic, Va./Eastern Mennonite).

Bluefield State erased a 15-12 deficit in set three with an 8-0 run en route to another 25-20 win, but Eastern Mennonite had an 8-0 run in game four to win 25-22.

The deciding set five belonged to the Lady Blues, however, as they closed on a 10-1 run to win 15-7.

Ritchie and Hardy led an offense which hit .132 or better in the second, third and fourth sets.  Ritchie had 17 kills while Hardy put down 13.  Each of EMU's other hitters finished with more errors than kills, however.  Johnson had 19 assists.  Erin Mays (Ridgeway, Va./Westover Christian) added 13.

The women had a strong defensive presence at the net with a season best nine total blocks.  Kayla Smeltzer (Richmond, Va./Maggie L. Walker) led the way with five, including two solo.  Cook had a solo and three block assists, while Hardy added three assists.

Katie Miller racked up 24 digs.  Ritchie had three of the team's five service aces.

The Royals slide to 6-14 with the two losses, including 0-5 in the ODAC.  Their four-match home stand continues next week, starting with Lynchburg at 7:00pm Wednesday night.

Coach Jeff Tyson talks about the two close losses: