From Emory University Athletics
The No. 8-ranked Emory volleyball team captured the 30th Annual University Athletic Association Championships on Saturday afternoon, topping No. 21 Carnegie Mellon in the title match. The Eagles raised their overall record to 30-5 following a 3-0 decision (25-18, 25-17, 25-17) over the Tartans who slipped to 25-7.
With the win, Emory earns the league's automatic berth to the NCAA D-III Tournament which begins next weekend. It is the fifth time in the past eight seasons and seventh overall that the Eagles have brought home the conference crown.
Emory 3, Carnegie Mellon 0
Emory finishes with a hitting percentage of .243 (42-14—115) compared to the CMU's .073 (28-20—109), the 31st time this year it has enjoyed an edge in that category … Senior Jessica Holler led all players with 12 kills (her 20th double-figure match of the year) and registered a hitting percentage of .474 (12-3—19), while also contributing three block assists and three service aces … Senior Kathryn Trinka and sophomore Sydney Leimbach each added seven terminations, with Leimbach hitting .389 (7-0—18) and Trinka posting three (1-2) total blocks … Freshman Sara Carr came through with a big effort, totaling six kills and a team-leading 14 digs. Junior Hannah Billings and sophomore Mady Arles kept the Emory running by dishing out 18 and 17 assists, respectively.
Set 1
The opening set is a defensive battle as the Eagles register .186 attack percentage and the Tartans an effort of .076 (10-7—42) … The score is deadlocked at 6-6 before Emory goes on a 6-1 spree to take a 12-7 edge … A kill by CMU's Jackie Gibbons cuts the Emory edge to 15-13, but senior Sarah Maher comes through with a kill and a service ace to extend Emory's advantage to four points … After a Tartan point, Emory runs off a 3-0 spurt, keyed by two kills by Holler to claim a 20-14 margin … CMU creeps back to within four points, but Emory accounts for the final three points of the set to go up 1-0.
Set 2 – Emory picks up its offensive pace, hitting .289 (15-4—38), and is led by Holler's five kills … Leimbach and Trinka keep the Tartans off balance by adding four and three terminations, respectively … Successful attack attempts by Holler, Carr and Maher fuel a 6-0 charge that propels Emory to a 10-3 cushion … A kill by Leimbach keeps the Eagles ahead by a seven-point margin, 15-8, but the Tartans respond with a 7-2 spurt to cut gap to two points … However, Emory holds off CMU's comeback bid with five unanswered points that sees Holler dole out a pair of aces and register a kill … A kill by Tinka closes out the set.
Set 3 – Emory's defense rises to the occasion, limiting the Tartans to just a .030 attack percentage … Sara Carr chalks up four kills in what proves to be the final game of the match … CMU battles early and uses a 6-1 blitz to claim an 8-6 lead … A kill and ace from Holler helps the Eagles reclaim the lead at 9-8 … After the Tartans deadlock the score at 9-9, Emory scores eight of the set's next nine points to take command of the game at 17-10 … Block assists by Arles and Holler, give Emory a 20-12 margin … Ahead by a 22-17 count, Emory scores three straight points, which is highlighted by kills from Arles and Carr, to close out the match.