FREDERICK, Va. - It may have taken five sets, but as any coach will tell you, winning ain't easy. 

The Royals wrapped up the 2023 season on Saturday, taking down Hood College 3-2 (25-13, 22-25, 25-16, 21-25, 15-7). 

Records: EMU 12-15, 5-7 ODAC | Hood College 9-20, 1-6 MAC Commonwealth

Highlights

• Picking up kills from Madison Stockner and Hannah Quero, service aces from Stockner and Megan Miller and a block from Sophia Denby and Kenley Smith, EMU jumped out to an early 8-2 lead. They pushed their lead to 13-4 with points from Denby, Smith and an ace from Manuela Marin, and were able to maintain a big lead for the entire set. Hood was able to pull within six at 19-13, but the Royals ended the set on a 6-0 run to give themselves a 1-0 lead. 
• This time it was Hood pulling out to an early lead, 7-2, to start the second set, before the Royals went on a 6-1 run, highlighted by kills from Denby, a block from Quero and Hannah Kepler and a Sierra McVey ace. After the Blazers pushed their lead to 11-7, EMU rattled off seven straight and nine of the next 10, to pull ahead 16-12. They were able to keep a lead to 20-16, but Hood rallied to tie things with a 4-0 run and, later, with EMU leading 22-21, scored the final four points to take a 25-22 win and tie the match at one. 
• Hood once again took an early lead, this time 5-2, in set three, before EMU tied things with a Quero kill, an error and a Stockner ace. The teams traded points to an 11-10 Hood advantage, but the Royals responded with a 12-3 tilt, with kills from Laney Cline, Mckenzie Taylor, Mara Woolford and Quero, blocks from Quero/Stockner and Quero/Smith and aces from Woolford and Allie Watkins to take a 22-14 lead. The Blazers cut the Royals lead to seven, 23-16, but a kill from Woolford and an ace from Taylor put the finishing touches on a 2-1 EMU lead. 
• The Royals fell behind 8-4 to start the fourth set before pulling with one after back-to-back Blazer errors. They eventually tied the set at 12 after errors and a Stockner kill, and eventually took a 17-14 lead, which they would hold to 19-17. But the Blazers responded with with an 8-1 run and put the set away with a kill, to send the match to a fifth and final frame. 
• EMU jumped ahead to start the fifth, 4-2, before Hood tied things at four apiece. Back-to-back-to-back aces from Quero and a pair of Blazer errors, put the Royals ahead 9-4 before two more errors and a Woolford kill gave them a 12-5 lead. Hood scored two of the next three, to cut their deficit to 13-7, but kills from Cline and Quero finished the match for an EMU win. 

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Quero (11), Cline (10)
Assists: Miller (17)
Digs: Marin (21), Woolford (13)
Aces: Marin, Stockner, Quero (4)
Blocks: Quero (5), Smith and Stockner (3)

What's Next
This was the final match of the season for the Royals, but they'll return a large portion of their 2023 roster, graduating just three seniors.

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.