WESTMINSTER, Md. – The Royals took a break from ODAC play Saturday, heading up to Maryland for a pair of matches against Ursinus and host McDaniel.

In match one, the Royals fell to the Bears, 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 25-22) before sweeping the Green Terror 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-20).

EMU vs Ursinus

Records: EMU 6-11, 2-5 ODAC | Ursinus 9-9, 1-2 Centennial

Highlights

• Ursinus got out to a 2-0 lead before Lizzy Kirkton and Sophia Denby kills tied things early. After a Bears point, three straight from EMU, including a pair of Sierra McVey aces, gave the Royals a 5-3 lead. The teams traded points until, midway through the set, Ursinus went on a 7-2 run to take an 18-12 lead. Later, with UC leading 21-15, the Royals scored five of the next six off kills from Madison Stockner, Laney Cline and Kirkton to pull within two and a Denby kill and Megan Miller ace pulled EMU within one, 23-22, but a kill and an error put Ursinus up 1-0.
• After a back-and-forth start to set two, UC went on a 7-0 run to take an 12-5 lead. They kept a seven-point lead all the way to 17-10 before EMU responded with a 15-2 advantage, highlighted by kills from Denby, Stockner, Karla Hostetter, Cline and Kirkton, along with a block from Cline and Stockton, to tie the match at one.
• The Royals started out in front of set three and kept a lead throughout the set, eventually pulling ahead 17-2 off points from Kirkton and Cline. UC battled back with a 5-0 run to tie things at 17 before back-to-back Royals points put them back on top. EMU kept a lead and, very late, led 23-22 after a Stockner block, but Ursinus scored the final three points to take a 2-1 set lead.
• EMU came out hot in the fourth set, taking an 8-2 lead with kills from Kirkton, Denby and Mara Woolford, a pair of Megan Miller aces and a Denby/Lindsay Bly block. The Royals kept a six-point lead to 11-5 until UC tied things up with a 6-0 run. The teams traded points until a 3-0 run gave the Bears an 18-15 lead. A Bears error and a Denby kill pulled EMU within one, but UC continued to answer, keeping a slim lead. Kills from Woolford and Kirkton, along with a Woolford ace, kept EMU down just a point. But the Bears finished the match with a kill.

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Kirkton (14), Denby, Cline (11)
Assists: Hostetter (24), Miller (23)
Digs: McVey (17)
Blocks: Stockner (5)

EMU vs McDaniel

Records: EMU 7-11, 2-5 ODAC | McDaniel 10-6, 1-2 Centennial

Highlights

• McDaniel jumped out to a 4-1 lead to start the match before Denby picked up a kill to cut into the Green Terror lead. McDaniel extended their lead to 7-3 but the Royals responded with four straight, picking up a Woolford ace, a Cline kill and a pair of errors, to tie things at seven. Later in the set, with the Green Terror up by one, points from Kirkton and Denby put the Royals on top 15-12. MC rallied and tied things at 17 before a 4-1 EMU run gave them a 21-18 lead. McDaniel once again tied the set at 21-all, forcing a timeout, but out of the break EMU went on a 4-1 run, finishing the set with a kill from Cline to take a 1-0 lead.
• The Royals and Green Terror traded points to start the second set before EMU went on a 4-0 run with kills from Denby and Stockner, to lead 8-4. MC responded with a 9-2 run, forcing an EMU timeout trailing 13-10. Out of the break, McDaniel continued to hold a lead, picking up a 5-3 lead and pulling ahead 18-13, causing another EMU timeout. This time out of the break, it was the Royals grabbing the momentum, scoring six of the next seven points from Woolford, Cline and Hostetler, to tie things at 19. McDaniel retook the lead but EMU finished the set with a 6-2 run, ending things with a Cline kill for a 2-0 lead.
• This time it was EMU that jumped out to an early lead in set three, and never looked back. They pulled ahead 9-6 and 10-7 before breaking the set open with a 7-0 run, picking up points from Denby, Bly and Woolford to extend their lead to nine. McDaniel responded with a 5-0 run of their own to cut the Royals lead to four, and eventually cut it to two, 18-16, before a pair of Green Terror errors put EMU back up by four. MC would get within two again, but a set of kills from Stockner and Cline put the set out of reach. A pair of Kirkton kills finished the match, giving EMU the sweep.

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Woolford (9), Denby, Cline (8)
Assists: Hostetter (16), Miller (14)
Digs: Woolford (14), McVey (11)

What's Next
EMU will get back into ODAC play on Tuesday when they head down Route 42 to take on rival Bridgewater. First serve is set for 7 pm.

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