From Emory University Athletics
The No. 2-ranked Emory volleyball team opened NCAA Tournament action on Thursday with a hard-fought win over Greenville College at the Mount Berry, Georgia, Regional hosted by Berry College. The Eagles upped their overall record to 33-3 following the 3-1 triumph (25-18, 27-25, 20-25, 25-20) over the Panthers who closed out their season at 24-8.
In addition to the Eagles advancing to the Regional semifinals on Friday, another highlight that took place was senior setter Sydney Miles becoming the program's all-time leader in assists. Miles finished the Greenville match with 41 assists, boosting her career mark to 5,741, bettering the previous standard of 5,732 held by Natalie Schonefeld (2008-11).
Junior Kathryn Trinka led the Emory offensive effort, posting a team-high 12 kills, her 30th double-figure performance of the year, and hitting .417 (13-3—24). Junior Sarah Maher was the other Eagle to post double digits in kills with 10 terminations. Maher also added 11 digs for her 11th double-double (kills/digs). Junior Jessica Holler came through with a solid all-around outing, registering nine kills, hitting .368 (9-2—19) and a match-high six total blocks (1-5). Freshman Karissa Dzurik concluded the contest with seven kills and five blocks (1-4), while junior Shannon Nugent chipped in six kills and three blocks (0-3). Freshman Becky Breuer topped the squad with 19 digs.
Emory ended the match hitting .234 (48-18—128) compared to Greenville's .125 (52-32—160). The Eagles held a 58-57 digs and a 10-6 advantage in total blocks.
Emory will battle Birmingham Southern (25-5) in Friday's Regional semifinal with that contest starting at 4:30 pm. The Panthers advanced after upending No. 22 Chicago, 3-1.
Set 1 – Emory hits .500 (15-2—26) and holds the Panthers to an effort of .132 (13-8—38) … Maher totals four kills while Holler and Trinka each add three terminations … Emory trails by a 9-8 margin before going on a 6-1 run, capped by a Maher kill, to take a 14-10 lead … The Eagles lead by a 15-11 score before a solo block by Dzurik, followed by block assists by Holler and Maher, extend Emory's margin to 17-11 … A Dzurik kill starts a 3-0 Emory spurt that gives the team its largest lead of the set, 21-13 … A termination by Maher closes out the game.
Set 2 – The second set starts out much like the first with the teams battling during the early stage … A kill by Greenville's Allyson Mitchell, one of her match-high 16 on the afternoon, draws the No. 8-seed Panthers to within a 10-9 margin, but Emory accounts for the next four points to claim a 14-9 edge … The Eagles claim a 16-12 cushion following a Trinka kill, but a couple of Emory hitting miscues, followed by a Mitchell kill, slices Emory's lead to one point ... Emory responds with a successful attack attempt by Dzurik, a service ace by Breuer and block assists by Holler and Nugent push the Eagles to a 19-15 advantage … A Dzurik termination keeps the Eagles ahead, 21-17, but Greenville scores six of the game's next seven points to move into a 23-22 lead … Greenville serves for the set at 24-23, but an attack error stymies its bid to knot the match … Tied at 25-25, kills by Trinka and Maher give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
Set 3 – Greenville jumps on the Eagles early, doling out four aces in racing to a 6-1 lead … Emory creeps to within a 7-4 count before back-to-back kills by GC's Riley Hannula and an Emory hitting error, extends the Panthers margin to 10-4 … Emory stares at a 14-8 deficit before using an 8-2 charge, keyed by three kills by Trinka, to storm into a 16-16 deadlock … Greenville answers with a 7-0 blitz, with Mitchell coming through with a pair of kills in that stretch, to take a solid 23-16 lead … The Eagles do cut the gap to four points, but a kill from Mitchell keeps the Panthers alive and forces a fourth set.
Set 4 – Both teams battle for momentum and Greenville holds an 8-7 lead after a kill by Sierah Ruffner, but Emory is able to answer with a 5-0 run, with Dzurik and Holler registering kills, to take a 12-8 edge … Holding a two-point lead, 14-12, Emory takes command by scoring the next six points, highlighted by block assists by Nugent and Dzurik and a service ace by Trinka, to bolt to a 20-12 margin … The gritty Panthers get to within three points at 23-20, but a Trinka kill and a hitting miscue by Greenville close out the match in Emory's favor.