The EMU volleyball women dropped a crucial ODAC contest at home Thursday night, falling 3-0 to Shenandoah University.

The loss drops to Royals to 3-7 overall and 3-6 in the ODAC, while SU improves to 4-4 in the league. Eastern Mennonite sits in a tie with Emory & Henry for eighth place in the conference standings. Since EMU lost to Emory & Henry during the season, the women likely need to knock off one of the ODAC's perennial powers, Washington and Lee or Randolph-Macon, over their final two matches to earn a spot in the eight-team ODAC Tournament.

EMU hosts Washington and Lee (9-0/7-0 ODAC) Sunday afternoon at 2:00pm in their home finale.

Against Shenandoah, the Royals started behind the eight ball and trailed by as many as seven at 13-6. They slowly fought their way back and got within 22-21 before the Hornets rattled off three quick points to hold on, 25-21.

EMU looked to have righted the ship early in the second, scoring six straight to take a 9-5 lead after a second ace from Paris Hutchinson (Waynesboro, Va./Wilson Memorial). The Royals kept the margin all the way to 20-16 before suddenly giving up eight unanswered points to lose control. They fought off two set points before taking a 25-22 loss.

The women gave up the lead early in the third, but hung around. Trailing just 19-17, the Royals allowed six straight to close out on a 25-17 score.

Eastern Mennonite hit just .064 as a team, their second lowest total of the season. Hutchinson finished with 13 kills, 15 digs, two aces and two blocks. Hannah Johnson (Staunton, Va./Wilson Memorial) worked to six kills, while middle Heather Phelps (Moseley, Va./Cosby) had five kills and three blocks.

Tori Wigley (Elkton, Va./East Rockingham) had 21 set assists and Megan Miller (Millersburg, Ohio/Central Christian) chipped in seven. Andrea Troyer (Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway) added two blocks. Libero Abby Kaufman (Maplewood, Mo./Maplewood Richmond Heights) picked up 10 digs.

Shenandoah was led by Jillian Warter's 11 kills and 10 digs. Peyton Clary got in on five of SU's ten blocks.