CARLISLE, Pa. – Fresh off of a stellar home win over Mary Washington, the EMU Women's Volleyball team made its second trip to Pennsylvania in as many weeks for a pair of matches, facing off with Lebanon Valley and Dickinson.
 
The Royals roared out of the gates, sweeping the Flying Dutchmen in straight sets. Immediately after, EMU played the host school Dickinson in a five-set thriller, coming up just short against Red Devils.

EMU vs Lebanon Valley

Records: EMU 2-2, 0-0 ODAC | Lebanon Valley 3-3, 0-0 MAC

Highlights

Set One: EMU 25, Lebanon Valley 23

• After the Flying Dutchmen scored the first two points, EMU took their first lead at 3-2 with a service ace from Kassidy Meadows and a kill by Laney Cline.
• Lebanon Valley built a lead as big as five at 12-7, but the Royals to score six of the next seven points off of a combination of attack errors by the opposition and kills from Cline, Kenley Smith, and Sophia Denby.
• Lebanon Valley went on four-point run to take a 22-21 lead, but the Royals knotted things up at 22 on a Smith kill assisted by Kaitlyn Custis. After a Flying Dutchmen, EMU finished the set with the final three points, scoring the clinching point on a Cline kill.

Set Two: EMU 25, Lebanon Valley 21

• After a back-and-forth led to a narrow 8-7 Lebanon Valley lead, the Royals sailed by the Flying Dutchmen seven consecutive points. The rally began with a Lebanon Valley service error and included kills from Smith and Meadows and a service ace from Madison Stockner, putting EMU out front 14-8.
• Lebanon Valley got within one at 20-19, but the Royals outscored the Flying Dutchmen 5-2 the rest of the set to shut the door and take two sets to none lead. Mara Woolford got the kill that ended the set.

Set Three: EMU 25, Lebanon Valley 22

• At first, it looked as though the Flying Dutchmen might force a fourth set, getting out to a 4-0 lead.
• Later in the set, down 9-5, the Royals tied things up with four straight points. The streak began with a Smith kill off of a Karla Hostetter assist, then a Cline kill from the set of Anna Black, and two service errors to knot the score at nine apiece.
• The Royals went another run, racking up six of seven points to go up 18-15. Among those points were a Woolford ace, two kills courtesy of Stockner, along with successful attacks from Denby and Meadows.
• The Royals sewed up the victory with a Denby kill assisted by Hostetter. It was EMU's first straight sets sweep of an opponent this season.

Statistical Leaders
Cline: 12 kills, 3 blocks
Black: 14 digs
Hostetter: 20 assists

EMU vs Dickinson

Records: EMU 2-3, 0-0 ODAC | Dickinson 3-3, 0-0 Centennial

Highlights

Set One: EMU 25, Dickinson 21

• The Red Devils blazed out to a 5-2 lead, but the Royals countered with three straight points to tie the set at five, with Cline and Denby each getting kills.
• Dickinson again built a lead at 11-7, and EMU would fight back again with five-point rally sparked by two service aces from Custis, making the score EMU 12, Dickinson 11.
• EMU grew their lead to five at 23-18, capped of by kills from Smith and Cline and yet another ace by Custis. The Royals took the one set lead with a Cline kill.

Set Two: Dickinson 25, EMU 18

• Like the first set, Dickinson jumped to the early lead. Unlike the first set, the Red Devils never looked back. EMU got within two points at 18-16, taking advantage of a Dickinson attack error, but the Royals got no closer as the Red Devils scored the final four points of the set to even the match.

Set Three: Dickinson 25, EMU 21

• The set started with a Dickinson service error to give EMU the first point. The Royals and the Red Devils went back and forth, with Dickinson going up 5-2 followed by an EMU three-point rally to tie the third set score at five. First-year Emma Greer tallied a kill to tie the score.
• It was a very streaky third set, with the two sides trading rallies and neither team getting a lead bigger than four. Ultimately, it was Dickinson that took the set with a kill to go up two sets to one.

Set Four: EMU 25, Dickinson 17
 

• With their backs against the wall, the Royals responded in the fourth set. After Dickinson took the first two points of the set, EMU bounced back with three points in a row, including an ace from the first-year Meadows. Dickinson grabbed the lead back at 4-3, and then the Royals countered with three straight points, a Cline kill followed by two Red Devil attack errors.
• Dickinson had a five-point streak of their own to get within one at 15-14. EMU then pulled away, outscoring Dickinson 10-3 for the rest of the set. During the late-set scoring barrage, Woolford racked up three kills and a service ace. Hostetter also contributed an ace to the Royals' cause. A Dickinson attack error sent the match to a decisive fifth set.

 
Set Five: Dickinson 15, EMU 9
 

• The match got away from the Royals in the fifth set as Dickinson opened up a 12-3 cushion. The Royals attempted to stage a rally, getting within four points at 13-9. Woolford and Stockner both played big roles, with two kills apiece. Sadly, it was not enough, as Dickinson rattled off the next two points to take the match.

 
 
Statistical Leaders
Cline: 13 kills
Meadows: 18 digs, 9 kills, 1 ace
Woolford: 11 kills, 14 digs
Custis: 23 assists, 3 service aces

What's Next
EMU hits the road for their first ODAC match of the season, taking on the Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday, Sept. 11. First serve is slated for 6 p.m.