For the third year in a row the EMU volleyball women opened their season with a win.  The Royals took down a feisty Mary Baldwin squad in four games Tuesday night in Yoder Arena, and will take their 1-0 mark into this weekend's EMU Invitational.

The women scored first and never trailed in game one, eventually rattling off the final seven points en route to a 25-13 final.

Game two was a wild seesaw affair.  The Royals scored six unanswered to open up a 15-9 cushion, but the Fighting Squirrels returned fire with a 13-5 run to jump in front 22-20.  Eastern Mennonite hit a 3-0 spurt to skip back into the lead, but MBC scored the next three to grab a 25-23 decision.

EMU won the final two sets, but not without some work.  They had to dig out of a 6-2 hole in game three, eventually striking a 6-1 run to grab control.  The Royals had the lead up to 23-17 before holding on for a 25-21 win.  Mary Baldwin scored first in the fourth game, but the women led by a small margin most of the game, finally closing a 25-22 clincher on a kill from Becca Hardy (Port Republic, Va./Eastern Mennonite).

The Royals hit a solid .128 and landed 16 ace serves, the most for an EMU team since 18 aces in a five-setter against McDaniel in 2012.

Hardy led a balanced attack at the net with seven kills while Skyler Johnson (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) had six.  Freshman Maria Yoder (Manheim, Pa./Hempfield), Alexa Weeks (Montross, Va./Washington & Lee) and Janna Williams (Kenbridge, Va./Kenston Forest) each added five.

Sophomore setter Jasmine Johnson (Staunton, Va./Robert E. Lee) had a great effort with 20 assists, 11 digs and five aces.  Yoder added three aces.

Katie Miller (San Antonio, Tex./Brandeis) started her senior campaign with 15 digs.

Katelyn Rice led MBC with 13 kills and three service aces.

Eastern Mennonite hosts the seven-team EMU Invitational this Friday and Saturday in Yoder Arena.  The Royals play 2014 NCAA-participant Salem College Friday at 3:00pm followed by Methodist at 7:00pm.

Coach Carrie Bert talks about the win in her first game as head coach: