HARRISONBURG, Va. – The EMU women's volleyball team wrapped up its 2022 regular season on Saturday, taking on Lynchburg in a match that was originally scheduled for late September.

The Royals battled in each set but ultimately dropped a 3-1 (22-25, 21-25, 25-21, 22-25) match to the Hornets.

Records: EMU 8-13, 5-7 ODAC | Lynchburg 15-11, 7-5 ODAC

Highlights

Set One

The teams traded points to Lynchburg leading 6-4, but EMU tied things at six with a kill from Bri Leeper and a Hornet error. Lynchburg would eventually take a 12-9 lead but EMU fought back with a Leeper/Madison Stockner block, a Stockner kill, a kill from Paris Hutchinson and a Leeper kill to take a 17-15 lead and force a Lynchburg timeout. Out of the break, the Hornets went on a 5-2 run to take a 21-19 advantage. The Royals would take a one-point lead with kills from Hutchinson and Lizzy Kirkton, but Lynchburg closed out the set on a 4-0 tilt to take a 1-0 lead.

Set Two

Lynchburg jumped out to an 8-2 lead early in the second set, forcing EMU to try to dig out of a hole. A Lynchburg service error and three straight aces from Hutchinson brought EMU to within two but the Hornets picked up six of the next nine to lead 14-9. The Royals cut the deficit to one with kills from Woolford and Hutchinson and a pair of Megan Miller aces but a 5-1 Lynchburg run extended the lead back to five. EMU would get within four, but Lynchburg picked up a block to win the second set.

Set Three

This time it was the Royals who started strong in the third set, taking a 6-3 lead with points from Stockner, Woolford, Kirkton, Hutchinson and a Laney Cline/Hutchinson block. Lynchburg would catch up and the teams would trade scores until, with EMU ahead 14-13, the Hornets went on a 5-0 run to go up 18-14 and cause EMU to take a timeout. The Royals responded with 9-1 run to pull ahead 23-19 and finished off the set win with a kill from Woolford.

Set Four

Like the first three sets, the fourth was a back-and-forth affair with neither team able to grab much momentum. After Lynchburg went ahead 14-11, the Royals responded with five of the next six points, highlighted by kills from Cline and Woolford, to lead 16-15. The Hornets rallied to take a 24-20 lead but EMU wouldn't go down without a fight, picking up back-to-back kills from Kirkton to pull within two. Unfortunately, the Hornets would pick up the win with a kill, to take the four-set win.

Statistical Leaders

Hutchinson – 10 kills, 11 digs, 5 aces and 3 blocks
Kirkton – 14 kills, 7 digs
Miller – 22 assists, 3 blocks
Cline – 7 kills, 5 blocks

What's Next

EMU will get ready for the ODAC tournament, where it enters as the #7 seed. They'll travel to #2 seed, Averett, on Wednesday for a quarterfinal matchup. Time is TBA.

To keep up to date with everything surrounding the EMU women's volleyball program this year, follow EMU on Twitter and Instagram, like EMU Athletics on Facebook or visit our website.