The NCAA Mount Berry Regional Tournament provided true triumph and heartbreak for the Emory women’s volleyball team last week. They won twice, but fell to Hendrix College (Ark.) in the final game.
The Eagles, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, faced off against Greenville College (Ill.) to open the tournament. The Eagles were able to outlast Greenville, winning 3-1 (25-18, 27-25, 20-25, 25-20), notching their 33rd win of the year.
Emory’s hitting percentage was .234 (48-18-128), besting Greenville’s .125 showing (52-32—160). Junior outside hitter Kathryn Trinka was a major factor in Emory’s kill total, putting up a game-high 12 kills for her 30th double-digit kill game on the year. Junior setter Sarah Maher put up 10 kills and 11 digs for her 11th double-double (double-digit kills and digs) on the year.
The spotlight of the game, however, was on senior setter Sydney Miles, who, became the Emory women’s volleyball’s all-time career leader in assists. With her 41 assists on the night, Miles increased her career assist total to 5,741, besting the record set by Natalie Schonefeld of 5,732 in 2011.
“It’s a really cool honor that reflects what this program as a whole has done these last four years and [what] the people that have been a part of it have done,” Miles said.
After a successful opening round to the tournament, the Eagles faced off against a formidable Birmingham-Southern University (Ala.) squad that had taken down the University of Chicago (Ill.) 3-1 in the previous round. The Birmingham-Southern Panthers were seeking vengeance on the Eagles, having been overpowered 3-0 in the teams’ previous matchup on Sept. 1st at the Woodruff Physical Education Center (WoodPEC). However, Emory took down Birmingham-Southern handedly 3-1 (25-13, 23-25, 25-21, 25-23).
Superior hitting again led the Eagles a victory. Emory hit .258 (58-17-159) compared to Birmingham Southern’s .169, and the Eagles topped the Panthers in digs and total blocks. The Eagles put up their best single-game dig count on the season with 94, along with a respectable 14 blocks.
Freshman outside hitter Karissa Dzurik shined bright for Emory, registering 14 kills and hitting .367 (14-3—30). Junior mid hitter Jessica Holler joined Dzurik with double-digit kills, putting up 12 with a .370 hitting percentage. Miles again finished as the assists leader of the team, ending the match with 47 and increasing her career total to 5,788.
With the convincing victory over Birmingham-Southern, the Eagles moved on to the NCAA Regional Final. Here, they faced their toughest test of the season, Hendrix College, for a chance at the tournament title.
The first set, which Emory lost 25-23, was a tight, but the second set proved to be even tighter.
The set seesawed from a 7-2 Hendrix lead to an 11-10 Hendrix lead to a 21-19 Emory lead after 40 points of play. After 49 points, it was set point for Hendrix at 25-24 before two quick Emory scores flipped the set point arrow towards the Eagles. However, Hendrix strung together three straight points to rob Emory of the second set, giving themselves a 2-0 lead in the match.
“We simply weren’t willing to let our season be over,” Miles said.
Behind Dzurik’s five kills in the third set, including three during a span, the Eagles were able to fight back and win the third set, forcing a fourth.
In the fourth set, two 4-0 runs allowed the Eagles to dominate and force a fifth and deciding set. Hendrix was up 15-13 and 20-18 at two different points of the set, but the Eagles point surges brought the momentum back to their side.
Those who stuck around in the Cage Center got their moneys worth in the incredibly exciting deciding set. After Emory tied the game at 7 points apiece, Hendrix proceeded to go on a 5-0 run to presumably end the game for good.
The relentlessness of Maher and the Eagles, who scored four unanswered points to make the score 12-11, pulled them back into the game. However, Emory’s luck ran out there. After Hendrix responded with two unanswered of their own and a Dzurik kill and block assists from Holler and Dzurik, Hendrix closed out the game 15-13.
“In the end, things didn’t fall our way,” Miles said. “Although we fell short of our goals, I think the most important part is that we enjoyed the time we had together and that’s all you can ask for in the end.”
The Eagles finished the season with a 34-4 record, including a conference record of 7-0.
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