For the opening matches of the 2010 season, the ERAU Volleyball team traveled to Plainview, Texas to compete in the Coca-Cola Classic at Wayland Baptist University. At the end of the first day, the Eagles finished 1-1 after two 3-set matches. The team started the day energetic and dominated their first game against York College Nebraska in a 3-0 shut-out (25-17/25-19/25-22). Assertive serving was a strength that the Eagles used to their advantage throughout the match, which made it difficult for the opposing squad to run an efficient offense. A stand-out player overall for the Eagles was Mahlet Lee, who hit a notable .355 and posted 20 digs. Despite being the first match of the season, the team played with confidence and poise.
Unfortunately, the next match didn’t turn out as favorable for the Eagles. They squared off against the host team Wayland Baptist and fell short in a 0-3 loss (15-25/13-25/7-25). The Eagles didn’t hit as well against Wayland, whose sizeable and quick front row posed a significant obstacle for ERAU. However, the Lady Eagles’ blockers were necessarily effective, getting touches on a majority of the opposing team's hits and making it easier for back row players to defend. Laura DeGeorge led the team on offense with a .286 hitting percentage, and libero Anna Martin stood out on defense with 15 digs. Tomorrow, the Eagles will face off against NAIA opponents Olivet Nazarene University at 11:00 CST and Lubbock Christian University at 3:30 pm CST.
Mark your calendars for the first home matches of the 2010 season. Friday and Saturday, September 10th and 11th, the Eagles host NAIA opponents Wayland Baptist University, Holy Names University, and Luke Air Force Volleyball.