After going 1-1 in the opening games of the UAA Championships on Saturday, the Emory University volleyball program will compete against Case Western Reserve University in the fifth place match on Sunday afternoon in Waltham, Massachusetts.
 
The No. 3 seeded Eagles fell to the No. 6 seeded NYU Violets, 1-3, in the opening match before defeating the No. 7 seeded Brandeis Judges 3-1. The Spartans entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed and fell to Carnegie Mellon in five sets before sweeping Rochester 3-0 to reach the fifth place match.
 
Game 1: NYU 3, Emory 1
 
The Eagles took the first set of the matchup against the Violets and saw a 6-6 tie to open the set before Emory took advantage of five attack errors from NYU and a service ace from senior Olivia Rabinowitz to claim a 12-6 lead. The two programs continued back and forth with each team continuing to score until the Violets came within a two point deficit but the momentum continued for the Eagles and they took the first set 25-21.
 
Set two opened with an offensive run from NYU opening with a quick 18-9 lead but Emory wasn't going down without a fight. After the Violets jumped to a 21-10 lead, the Eagles went on a 10-1 run to cut into NYU's lead, 22-20. A kill from junior Gabija Staniskis gave Emory its 21^st point but the momentum from the Violets continued and they took the set, 25-21.
 
Emory started the third set with a 9-3 lead but NYU answered with a 11-7 run to come within two points of the Eagles. Kills from seniors Eliane Silberman and Kaya Monrose helped push Emory to a 19-17 lead but the Violets scored three straight points to claim their first lead of the set. Four more ties were seen in the final few points but NYU was able to take the set, 26-24.
 
The fourth set saw five ties before either team reached the 10-point mark but Emory then pulled away with a 13-9 advantage. The Violets continued to close in on the Eagles later tying the set at 23 apiece before taking a 25-24 lead looking towards the end. Emory continued fighting  to a 26-26 tie but NYU eventually claimed the victory with a 28-26 win in set four.
 
Game 2: Emory 3, Brandeis 1
 
Emory dominated the opening of game two taking an early 7-2 lead in the first set highlighted by kills from senior Kate LaRocco. The Judges fought their way back to a 15-10 deficit followed by a 7-1 run with kills from senior Leneia Niko and LaRocco helping push the Eagles to a 22-11 score. Kills from Silberman and Rabinowitz finished the set with a 25-13 Emory win.
 
The second set started much closer than the first with Brandeis taking their first lead of the match at 10-9. Emory followed with a 10-3 run to reclaim a 19-13 lead towards the end of the set. The Judges continued putting up a fight but the momentum from the Eagles was too much and Emory took a 2-0 lead following a 25-19 score.
 
Brandeis opened the third set with the lead again holding a 7-4 lead before the Eagles answered with six straight points to take a 10-7 lead. The Judges followed with an 8-3 run of their own to reclaim the lead before both programs went point for point towards the end of the set. Brandeis was able to continue their momentum and finished the set with a 25-21 win.
 
After Emory opened the fourth set with an 11-10 lead, they pulled away with a 7-4 run highlighted by kills from Staniskis and Silberman to take an 18-14 advantage. After holding a 20-16 score, the Eagles finished the set with a 6-2 run to clinch the set with a 25-18 score.
 
The Eagles will face off with Case Western Reserve on Sunday, November 16 at 9:30 AM in the fifth place match in Waltham, Massachusetts.