The Emory University volleyball team closed out the annual Jenny McDowell Invitational with two wins against the Huntingdon Hawks and the Piedmont Lions on Saturday afternoon at the Woodruff PE Center.
 
Junior Kaya Monrose dominated the day totaling 18 kills, including 10 against the Hawks, and five blocks across the two matches. Fellow junior Ioanna Copulos was also a standout on the day totaling 26 assists while senior Sarah Luong followed with 18.
 
Game 1: Emory 3, Huntingdon 0
 
The Eagles were able to take an early advantage of service errors from the Hawks to take a 5-3 lead before going on a 6-1 run highlighted by kills from Monrose. Huntingdon was able to secure a few more points going back and forth with the Eagles coming with a nine point difference, but back-to-back attack errors and a kill from senior Jessica Majka helped Emory to a 23-12 lead. Senior Madison Cail finished out the first set with a kill to secure the 25-14 set win.
 
Sophomore Sophie Zerrouki joined the scoring party helping the Eagles take a 5-0 lead to start the second set followed by a 6-5 run from the Hawks to cut into Emory's lead. The Eagles answered with five straight points before going back and forth with Huntingdon to hold a 20-10 advantage towards the end of set two. Four kills from Emory ended the second set with a score of 25-15.
 
Huntingdon was looking for a comeback in the third set tying the game at five a piece. Freshman Maria Flynn got her first appearance for the Eagles helping take an 8-5 lead with her first career kill. After the Hawks tied the game again, Emory went on a 10-1 run to take an 18-9 lead. Huntingdon later scored ten more points on seven kills but the Eagles secured the set win and the match on three attack errors and kills from Flynn.
 
Game 2: Emory 3, Piedmont 0
 
After the Eagles opened the first set with four points, the Lions were able to score four points of their own. Emory followed with five kills and took advantage of three service aces to take a 16-4 lead towards the end of the first set. The Lions brought in a substitution before the Eagles went on a 9-4 run to take set one with a 25-9 line.
 
Emory dominated the second set allowing just two points to start the match followed by 19 points of their own highlighted by six kills. Piedmont was able to notch two more points in the match before the Eagles closed out the second set with six straight points to secure a 25-4 in set two.
 
The momentum continued into the third set with Emory opening the set with a 7-4 run taking advantage of three more service aces. Three more kills from the offense broadened the lead to 14-5 before the Eagles were able to take advantage of attack errors from the Lions to score seven straight points. Piedmont was able to secure two more points but the effort fell short and Emory took the third set with a score of 25-7.
 
The Eagles will take the week off before traveling to St. Louis, Missouri to compete in the East to West Battle.