RALEIGH, NC – EMU took a break from ODAC play on Saturday, heading to North Carolina for a pair of out of conference matches.

In the first match of the day, EMU fell 3-0 to Salem (27-25, 25-10, 25-18) before falling in a five set thriller to William Peace, 3-2 (17-25, 24-26, 25-23, 25-22, 15-10). 

EMU vs Salem

Records: EMU 8-15, 2-9 ODAC | Salem College 25-5, 14-3 USA South

Set One - Salem 27, EMU 25

• EMU picked up a pair of quick points off an error and a kill from Mara Woolford. Later in the set, with Salem leading 10-9, the Royals picked up three straight points from Sophia Denby, Kassidy Meadows and Madison Stockner, for a 12-10 lead. 
• The teams traded points to 18-15 EMU, before the Spirits tied things up with a 3-0 run, and then points flip flopped once again to Salem leading 21-20. 
• EMU pulled ahead 23-21 after kills from Denby and Woolford, along with a Hannah Quero ace. Three straight points from Salem gave them set point, 24-23, but EMU continued to fight, taking a 25-24 lead off back-to-back Spirit errors. But Salem finished things out with three straight kills for a 1-0 lead. 

Set Two - Salem 25, EMU 10

• Salem jumped out to a 5-3 lead, with EMU using two errors and a Denby kill to cut their deficit to two. Salem responded with a 7-2 run, pushing their lead to 11-4. 
• The teams traded points to 13-7, then the Spirits went on a 12-3 run to finish out the set, with EMU picking up points from two service errors and a block from Kenley Smith and Meadows.

Set Three - Salem 25, EMU 18

•  EMU took a 6-4 lead to start the third, using two Spirit errors and four Denby kills. After Salem pulled within one, 7-6, EMU went on a 5-0 run, highlighted by two kills from Woolford and blocks from Meadows/Smith and Woolford/Smith, for a 12-7 lead. 
• Salem tied things at 12 with a 6-0 run, and play went back and forth, to 17-17. The Spirits then opened up the set with a 6-0 run, before another Denby kill stopped the Salem tilt. But Salem was able to pick up the match win, using back-to-back kills to take the 3-0 win. 

Statistical Leaders
Denby: 13 kills, 2 digs
Kaitlyn Custis: 16 assists, 1 block
Anna Black: 17 digs

EMU vs William Peace

Records: EMU 8-16, 2-9 ODAC | William Peace 15-14, 7-8 USA South

Set One - EMU 25, William Peace 17

• EMU used a 6-1 run to start the opening set, picking up kills from Hannah Kepler and a Woolford ace. Later in the set, EMU was able to push their lead to double digits, 16-6, with another 6-1 run, with kills from Kepler and Meadows. 
• After two Pacers points, the Royals scored six straight from Meadows, Black, Mckenzie Taylor and a block from Stockner and Meadows. With EMU leading 24-12, William Peace went on a 5-0 run to cut their deficit to seven, before Custis finished out the set with a kill. 

Set Two - EMU 26, William Peace 24

• Neither team was able to grab momentum, with EMU holding just a one point lead, 9-8, through the first 17 points. William Peace then went on a 6-2 run, taking a 14-11 lead. EMU answered with a 4-0 run off two kills from Woolford and a Stockner ace, for a 15-14 lead. 
• EMU pushed their lead to 20-16, before the Pacers went on a 6-0 tilt to take a 22-20 lead. Kills from Kepler and Meadows tied things at 22, but William Peace won the next two points to get to set point. But EMU answered the call, scoring the next four points, including two kills from Stockner and a Claire Reichenbach ace, to take a 2-0 lead. 

Set Three - William Peace 25, EMU 23

• Two Pacers errors and a Denby kill gave EMU a 3-1 lead early in set three. Later in the set, after a kill from Woolford gave EMU an 8-7 lead, William Peace went on a 5-2 tilt, taking a 12-10 lead. 
• The Royals retook the lead with kills from Stockner and Emma Greer, along with a Reichenbach ace, and the teams swapped pairs of points to EMU leading 17-16. A 3-0 run from William Peace was followed by a 4-0 run from EMU, and EMU eventually got to 23-21, close to taking the match. But the Pacers finished things by winning the final four points with a kill and three EMU errors, to win their first set. 

Set Four - William Peace 25, EMU 22

• With WPU leading 5-3, EMU took an 8-6 lead with five straight points from Custis and Greer, along with two aces from Black. 
• Later in the set, after a Woolford kill pulled EMU within two, William Peace pushed their lead to five with three straight points. EMU continued to fight, and, after a 5-1 run, cut the Pacers lead to 23-21. William Peace pulled within one point from the set, before a Custis kill brought EMU to 24-22. But a service error propelled WPU to the set win and a 2-2 match score. 

Set Five - William Peace 15, EMU 10

• William Peace started out ahead 7-1 in the third, before a 4-1 run, highlighted by three kills from Stockner, pulled EMU within three, 8-5. 
• EMU was able to get kills from Kepler, Stockner, Greer and Woolford, along with a Stockner ace, but a service error finished out the Pacers comeback. 

Statistical Leaders
Woolford: 13 kills, 16 digs, 1 service ace
Stockner: 13 kills, 3 service aces, 2 blocks
Black: 24 digs
Custis: 32 assists

What's Next
EMU will wrap up ODAC play on Wednesday when they head to Salem to take on Roanoke. First serve against the Maroons is set for 6:30 pm. 

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