From Emory University Athletics
The No. 8-ranked Emory volleyball team came through with a pair of wins on the opening day of its National Invitational on Friday. The Eagles opened with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-20) decision over Randolph-Macon College before registering a 3-0 Senior Night triumph (25-10, 25-18, 25-15) over Clarkson University. Emory is now 25-5 on the year.
Emory hit .268 (39-13—97) in the RMC contest while holding the Yellow Jackets to .051 (31-26—99). Senior Jessica Holler paced the offensive attack with 10 kills and closed out the affair hitting .562 (10-1—16). Holler played a key role in Emory posting an 11-3 edge in total blocks, registering a season-high eight (0-8) blocks. Freshman Morgan McKnight added eight terminations and was followed in that department by the senior duo of Sarah Maher and Kathryn Trinka with seven apiece. Maher added four block assists. Junior Hannah Billings and sophomore Mady Arles doled out 20 and 14 assists, respectively, while sophomore Becky Breuer paced the club with nine digs.
Playing before an appreciative Senior Night crowd, the Eagles blitzed the Golden Knights of Clarkson with a lethal offensive attack that saw them hit .451 with 45 kills and just four miscues in 91 swings. It represented the seventh time this year Emory had hit .350 or better in a match. Holler and senior Kathryn Trinka each chalked up nine successful attack attempts with Trinka finishing with a hitting mark of .571 (9-1—14) and Holler an effort of .400 (9-1—20). In addition, Holler accounted for six block assists. Sophomore Sydney Leimbach and freshman Morgan McKnight totaled seven terminations each. Senior Sarah Maher led Emory with 13 digs, her 12th outing season with double digits in that category.
