After struggling in Sept. 9 and 10’s Cal Lu Fornia Invitational, the Eagles’ four 3-0 victories this past weekend prove that the team’s hard work finally seems to be paying off.
“They’re fighters and they’re extremely resilient,” Head Coach Jenny McDowell said of the team.
Emory University hosted the Emory Invitational Sept. 16 and 17, and the team did not concede a single game through all four of its matches. Opponents included University of Mary Washington (Va.) and Wellesley College (Mass.) Friday evening and Transylvania University (Ky.) and Maryville College (Tenn.) Saturday.
The overwhelming wins this weekend — compared to the team’s lone loss in the tournament two weekends ago — may have a lot to do with the level of competition the Eagles faced. Two weekends ago, the Eagles played against top-ranked Division-III teams. Only one of the teams the Eagles played at the Emory Invitational this past weekend (No. 24 Mary Washington) was even top-25 ranked.
With the easier competition, the team displayed far superior efficiency from both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
The Eagles’ defensive prowess was led by their liberos and outside hitters: performances by freshmen libero Andie McKinnon and outside hitter Sara Carr helped the team win important points down the stretch.
Throughout the weekend, McKinnon collected a grand total of 51 digs.
Often when the ball flew out of the reach of the libero’s dive, Carr threw herself to the ground to ensure a pass to the setters.
But where the Eagles truly flourished this weekend was at the net. Stellar performances came from sophomore outside hitter Karissa Dzurik and senior middle hitter Jessica Holler. In the Maryville game, Holler made 16 kills with a .562 success rate, and Dzurik had a .714 success rate of her 10 kills. The Eagles not only were able to successfully return the ball to the opposing team, but also often put away the ball to win the point.
“I think as a team we communicated well,” McKinnon said of the team’s success. “I know that’s something we worked really hard on this week. Our energy levels were high. We were really focused in practice. Everything on the court seemed to come together this week.”
McKinnon and McDowell both said the team has been striving to work its way to the top. The Eagles say they have a goal of getting one percent better each day, making each practice crucial to improving their play.
As usual, the Eagles’ cheering accounted for much of the excitement in the gymnasium.
“Our team has really good chemistry,” McKinnon said. “We all love each other, and we’re all very selfless for each other. You can see it on our bench during our games. We’re excited and having fun.”
McDowell also commented on her appreciation for the Emory community.
“Our student support has been really good. I’ve loved the way the campus is rallying around us.”
The Emory community can support the Eagles from afar as the team travels to Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, Sept. 24, to compete against Hendrix College (Ark.) at 2:30 p.m. and Birmingham-Southern College (Ala.) at 5 p.m.
