WINCHESTER, Va. – Ahead of a big Homecoming weekend, EMU traveled north for a midweek ODAC matchup at Shenandoah.

The Royals were able to hold leads in each of the sets, winning the third, but it was Shenandoah picking up the 3-1 (25-16, 27-25, 22-25, 25-18) win over EMU.

Records: EMU 6-11, 1-6 ODAC | Shenandoah 8-10, 1-5 ODAC

Highlights

Set One – Shenandoah 25, EMU 16

• Shenandoah jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start the set, before a kill from Sophia Denby stopped the run. SU was able to push their lead to 7-3, but EMU pulled within two after an error, a block from Kenley Smith and Kassidy Meadows, and a kill from Hannah Quero.
• Later in the set, with SU leading by two, EMU went on a 5-2 run, picking up kills from Mara Woolford, to take a 12-10 lead. Shenandoah responded with a 9-1 run, pulling back in front 19-13.
• The Royals added kills from Smith and Meadows, but the Hornets ended the set on a 6-2 run to take a 1-0 lead.

Set Two – Shenandoah 27, EMU 25

• This time it was EMU pulling ahead early in the set, taking a 7-2 lead, with a pair of kills from Meadows and one from Woolford. Shenandoah pulled within two, 7-5, but EMU responded with six straight points to push their lead to eight.
• With EMU leading 18-11, the Hornets went on a 9-1 run to take a 20-19 lead. The teams traded points, with EMU picking up kills from Denby and Meadows, along with a block from Denby and Stockner.
• The Royals took a two-point lead and were serving for the set at 24-22, but the Hornets stormed back and took a 25-24 lead. Woolford picked up a kill to tie things at 25, but SU finished the set with a kill and an ace for a 2-0 lead.

Set Three – EMU 25, Shenandoah 22

• The Royals took a 7-2 lead to start the third, with kills from Denby, Smith and Woolford, along with a pair of Woolford service aces. Later in the set, EMU was able to push their lead to six, 12-6, with a Hornet error and a kill from Denby.
• Shenandoah rallied with an 8-2 run to tie things at 14, but EMU battled back with a 4-2 run of their own, to take an 18-16 lead. After a service error and a Quero ace, EMU lead 22-19, forcing an SU timeout.
• Shenandoah picked up three straight points to tie things at 22, but EMU was ready to play more as they won the final three points: a service error, a Stockner ace and a Woolford kill.

Set Four – Shenandoah 25, EMU 18

• The teams traded points to start the fourth, with SU holding a slim 8-6 lead, and EMU picking up kills from Meadows, Stockner and Woolford, along with a block from Meadows and Smith. But then SU went on a 9-1 run to push their lead to 17-7.
• EMU scored three of the next four points, with a kill from Meadows and an Anna Black ace. After a pair of Shenandoah points, EMU picked up four straight off a Hornet error, a Meadows ace, a Denby kill and a Stockner/Kaitlyn Custis block, to cut SU's lead to 20-14 and force a Hornets timeout.
• Out of the break, Shenandoah pulled to match point at 24-15, but EMU kept fighting, picking up a block from Custis and Stockner, along with a pair of Woolford kills, to pull within six. But a Royals attack error wrapped up the set, and the match, for Shenandoah.

Statistical Leaders
Woolford: 13 kills, 15 digs, 2 aces
Custis: 25 assists, 2 blocks, 7 digs
Meadows: 7 kills, 3 blocks, 2 aces, 20 digs

What's Next
EMU will be back in action on Saturday for the Royals Homecoming. They'll take on the University of Lynchburg, with first serve coming at 2 pm.    

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