HARRISONBURG, Va. - The Royals welcomed home its alumni on Saturday, for Homecoming 2024. They also welcomed in the Hornets of the University of Lynchburg for a HoCo showdown. 

EMU battled in each set, but it was the Hornets picking up a 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-16) win over the Royals. 

Records: EMU 6-12, 1-7 ODAC | Lynchburg 12-10, 4-3 ODAC

Highlights

Set One - Lynchburg 25, EMU 19

• EMU took an early lead after a pair of Hornet errors and a block from Sophia Denby and Kenley Smith. Lynchburg came back and retook the lead, 9-7, before another pair of errors and a Mckenzie Taylor ace put the Royals back on top 10-9. 
• A 7-3 Lynchburg run gave them a 16-13 advantage and they would push that lead to as many as four, 18-14, 19-15 and 20-16. But back-to-back points from EMU, an error and a Kassidy Meadows kill pulled the Royals within two. 
• Lynchburg finished out the set on a 5-1 run, with EMU's lone point coming on a Hornet service error. 

Set Two - Lynchburg 25, EMU 14

• The Hornets started out set two on top 7-2 before a kill from Sophia Denby stopped the run. Three more points from Lynchburg pushed their lead to seven, but the Royals cut their deficit to four with an error, a block from Meadows and Madison Stockner and an ace from Alannys Rodriguez. 
• After EMU's run, Lynchburg scored 10 of the next 12 points to take a 20-8 lead. EMU snagged two points from an error and a Denby kill and the teams traded points to Lynchburg leading 23-12. EMU picked up a pair of points after back-to-back blocks from Kaitlyn Custis and Stockner, but Lynchburg used a pair of kills to wrap up the set and take a 2-0 lead. 

Set Three - Lynchburg 25, EMU 16

• Another Lynchburg run started set three, as the Hornets took a 7-3 advantage early on. Two Lynchburg errors and a Hannah Kepler kill pulled EMU within one, 7-6. 
• Lynchburg continued to hold a lead, getting it to as many as five at 14-9, 15-10 and 16-11, before the Royals cut the lead to two after two Hornet errors and a Meadows kill. 
• After the teams swapped a pair of points, Lynchburg ended the match by scoring the final seven points to pick up the win. 

Statistical Leaders
Denby: 7 kills, 1 block, 3 digs
Custis: 9 assists, 2 kills, 2 blocks
Anna Black/Claire Reichenbach: 8 digs each

What's Next
EMU will be back on the court on Wednesday when they head to Ashland for a showdown with Randolph Macon. First serve is set for 7 pm. 

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