The Emory volleyball team had a productive fall break as it extended its win streak to 10 after wins over Piedmont College (Ga.) and Lee University (Tenn.) on Monday and Tuesday. The Eagles lost only a single set between the two matches, beating Piedmont 3-0 and Lee 3-1.
On Monday, the team traveled to Demorest, Ga. They defeated the Lions in three sets, 25-19, 25-10, and 25-12. Junior outside hitter Kathryn Trinka led the team with 20 kills, setting a career high. Seniors Sydney Miles and Ashley Crawford led the team in assists and digs with 42 and 16 respectively.
The Eagles returned home Tuesday to face off against Lee in a match that extended to four sets. After splitting the first two sets, Emory rallied to win the third set 29-27, before finishing the match with a 25-15 set. Trinka and Crawford led the team in kills with 13 a piece and Crawford’s effort set her single-game kill record. Miles provided her teammates with 53 assists and served two aces. The Eagles had 81 total digs, the most of the season, and were led in the category by freshman defensive specialist Becky Breuer, who had 28.
“Sheridan Rice, Ashley Crawford, Becky Breuer and Sarah Maher did a tremendous job serving and passing,” Coach Jenny McDowell said. “If you do that at a high rate, you give the team a chance to win a lot of matches … volleyball won through serving and passing, and they are our leaders in those areas.”
McDowell had planned to use the two weeks before conference play to continue to improve the team’s fundamentals and she said the matches over fall-break did just that.
The team seems to be firing on all cylinders ahead of the next round of conference play in Cleveland this weekend against Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.), Rochester University (NY), New York University, and the University of Chicago (Ill.). The team will face Washington, the nation’s top team, in the first match.
