The No. 8-ranked Emory volleyball team opened its 2013 campaign in a big way Friday afternoon as it  topped No. 1-ranked and defending NCAA D-III champ St. Thomas (Minn.) at the Courtyard Marriott Invitational hosted by Wittenberg University.  The Eagles bested the Tommies, 3-2, (25-22, 25-20, 20-25, 16-25, 15-11) and in the process captured their seventh straight season-opening match.

Junior Leah Jacob led of trio of Emory players who recorded double-figure kills with a career-high 16 terminations while freshman Jessica Holler totaled 14 successful attack attempts.  Junior Kate Bowman picked up 13 kills and chipped in 14 digs.  Freshman Maggie Collins and junior Cat McGrath were forces at the net with six and five blocks, respectively, and played a key role in limiting the Tommies to just a .142 hitting percentage, .071 in the decisive fifth game.  Junior Sydney Miles dished out 42 assists and sophomore Taylor Erwin topped all players with 27 digs.

Emory will play a pair of Saturday matches including a 10:00 a.m., bout vs. No. 3-ranked Wittenberg followed by a 12:30 p.m., contest against Johns Hopkins.