HARRISONBURG, Va. - After a weekend in Pennsylvania, the Royals returned home on Tuesday, welcoming in #22 Mary Washington in EMU's home opener. 

Behind a defense that held Mary Washington to a .106 hitting percentage, and a strong service game that saw the Royals rack up 12 service aces, EMU opened up at home with a 3-1 (25-16, 25-23, 24-26, 25-17) win. 

Records: EMU 1-2, 0-0 ODAC | Mary Washington 3-2, 0-0 C2C

Highlights

Set One - EMU 25, Mary Washington 16

• EMU jumped out to an early 3-1 lead before UMW went on a 5-0 run to pull ahead 6-3. The teams traded points, with the Eagles taking a slight 7-5 lead. 
• After a kill from Sophia Denby gave EMU the serve, Mara Woolford went on a tear, serving EMU to seven straight points, including a pair of aces, to take a 13-7 lead. 
• After the teams flip flopped points, UMW pulled within three, 16-13. But the Royals responded once again, going on a 5-1 run with kills from Kenley Smith, a Kaitlyn Custis ace and a block from Smith and Woolford.
• An Eagle kill stopped the run, but EMU finished out the set, winning four of the next five points, including kills from Smith and Kassidy Meadows, for a 1-0 lead.

Set Two - EMU 25, Mary Washington 23

• This time it was UMW jumping out to a quick lead, taking a 6-1 advantage early in the second set. The Royals tried chipping away, but anytime they gained any momentum, Mary Washington took it back, eventually extending their lead to 14-8. 
• With the Eagles ahead, Karla Hostetter stepped back to serve, taking after Woolford's first set run, and going on a 6-0 run of her own, using two aces, kills from Madison Stockner, Laney Cline and Meadows and a Cline/Meadows block, to take a 15-14 lead. 
• Later in the set, UMW pulled within one, 18-17, but EMU squashed any type of rally, winning four of the next five points off kills from Smith and Denby, along with a block from Woolford and Smith, for a 22-18 advantage. 
• UMW tried to make it interesting at the end, pulling back within one at 24-23, but the Royals ended the set with a Cline kill for a 2-0 lead. 

Set Three - Mary Washington 26, EMU 24

•  Set three was evenly matched, with the teams tying up to 11-11. EMU used a Woolford kill and two Eagle errors to take a 14-11 lead and kept it at three, to 16-13. 
• The Eagles weren't ready to go away quietly, going on a 6-0 run for a 19-16 lead. The Royals picked up two straight, but Mary Washington responded with the next three points, making it 22-18. 
• EMU was able to tie things at 23, using a 5-1 run highlighted by kills from Cline, Woolford and Stockner, and a Meadows ace. The teams swapped service errors, and UMW finished out the set with a kill and a Royal error. 

Set Four - EMU 25, Mary Washington 17

• The Royals came out firing in the fourth set, determined to not let it go any further. Aces from Custis and Anna Black, kills from Woolford and Denby and a block from Smith and Woolford pushed EMU to a 10-3 lead. 
• UMW was able to cut the lead to three later in the set, using a 3-0 run to bring the score to 15-12. But the Royals answered once again, with Woolford and Cline providing the offense and extending EMU's lead to 20-13. 
• Six would be as close as Mary Washington would get the rest of the set as kills from Denby and Meadows, and an Eagle service error, gave EMU the set, and match, win. 

Statistical Leaders
Woolford: 7 kills, 3 aces, 3 blocks, 12 digs
Denby: 12 kills
Custis: 21 assists, 2 aces
Black: 18 digs, 5 assists, 1 ace

What's Next
EMU will head back to PA this weekend for a pair of matches on Saturday. They'll take on Lebanon Valley starting at 1 pm before finishing up the day against host Dickinson, with first serve set for 3 pm. 

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