SALEM, Va. - EMU made the straight shot down 81 on Wednesday, heading to Salem to take on Roanoke College in the Royals final ODAC match of the year. 

It was tightly contested, but ultimately it was the Maroons who picked up the 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-18) win over EMU. 

Records: EMU 8-17, 2-10 ODAC | Roanoke 16-10, 6-6 ODAC

Highlights

Set One - Roanoke 25, EMU 21

• EMU picked up two early kills from Kenley Smith and Mara Woolford and, after a block from Smith and Kassidy Meadows, had the set tied at five. RC was able to take a 9-6 lead before a kill from Madison Stockner cut the lead to two. The Maroons then went on an 8-2 run, with EMU picking up points on errors, to take a 17-9 lead. 
• Kills from Smith, Meadows and Sophia Denby, along with a Woolford/Smith block, pulled the Royals within five. After a Maroon point, EMU ran off four straight points, and five of the next six, to cut the score to 20-18. 
• Back-to-back kills from Roanoke gave them a four point lead, and the teams swapped points until an EMU error gave RC a 1-0 lead. 

Set Two - Roanoke 25, EMU 23

• An RC error, kills from Smith and Meadows, and a Woolford ace gave EMU their first four points of the set, trailing 5-4 through nine points. Later in the set, a 3-1 EMU run, highlighted by a block from Stockner and Kaitlyn Custis, brought the Royals within one at 9-8. Roanoke answered with a 7-2 tilt to push their lead to 16-10. 
• After another RC run gave them a 22-13 advantage, EMU battled back. The Royals went on a big run, 10-2, using kills from Woolford, Stockner and Smith, along with a block from Smith and an ace from Stockner, to pull within one, 24-23. But a Royals service error ended the comeback attempt and gave Roanoke a 2-0 lead. 

Set Three - Roanoke 25, EMU 18

• The teams were matched up to start the third, with Roanoke holding a slight 6-5 lead through the first 11 points. EMU then went on a 4-0 run, using kills from Denby and Woolford, along with an ace from Hannah Quero, to take a 9-6 lead. 
• After another kill from Woolford gave EMU a 10-7 lead, Roanoke retook the lead with a 4-0 run of their own. The teams swapped points but, after a Denby kill and a Claire Reichenbach ace tied the set at 15, Roanoke finished off the match on a 10-3 run, with EMU getting points from two Woolford kills and a Maroon error. 

Statistical Leaders
Woolford: 9 kills, 8 digs
Anna Black: 15 digs
Custis: 18 assists

What's Next
EMU wraps up their 2024 season on Friday when they travel to Richmond to take on Virginia Union. First serve against the Panthers is set for 6:30 pm. 

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