The Emory University volleyball program came back to Atlanta on a hunt for wins defeating Randolph-Macon College and No. 12 ranked Ithaca College on Friday afternoon on the first day of the Emory Invitational.
 
The Eagles improve to 16-5 on the season and the day was highlighted by senior Olivia Rabinowitz reaching 2,500 career assists in the third set of game two. Fellow senior Kaya Monrose dominated the offense totaling 29 kills on day one.
 
Game 1: Emory 3, Randolph-Macon 0
 
The offense was dominant in the opening points with Emory taking a 10-2 lead from six kills. The Yellowjackets continued to battle answering with a 7-6 run of their own for a 16-9 deficit before the Eagles hit their 20^th point of the set. Emory answered with five straight points, highlighted by kills from Monrose, for a 21-9 lead but Randolph-Macon went point for point with the Eagles at the end of the set but fell 25-13.
 
Set two opened similar to the first with Emory opening with a 9-3 advantage. Both teams answered with five points for the Yellowjackets to sit at a six-point deficit. Sophomore Maria Flynn and freshman Sydney Kennedy, who made her first career appearance,  dominated the offense helping the Eagles finish with an 11-5 for a 25-13 win in the second set.
 
The Yellowjackets came out swinging in the third set opening with a 7-4 run including four straight points but Emory wasn't going down without a fight. Monrose posted back to back kills followed by kills from Flynn and Kennedy helping the Eagles reclaim a 14-10 lead. The next few rallies saw three ties ending with a 19-19 score until Emory finished with a 6-1 run to clinch the third set, 25-20.
 
Game 2: Emory 3, Ithaca 1
 
The first set was one of the closest sets the Eagles had played all day with the score coming down to just two points. Emory started with a 3-2 lead but the Bombers were quick to reclaim a slight 7-5 lead. The next few rallies went to both sides with the set seeing seven ties before ending at a 16-16 score. Ithaca fought to a 22-20 lead but the Eagles finished with a 5-1 run highlighted by kills from Monrose and senior Eliane Silberman to take the first set, 25-23.
 
Emory carried the momentum into the second set opening with a 5-0 lead before pulling away with a 12-9 advantage. The Bombers found their footing answering with an 11-3 run to take a five-point, 20-15 advantage towards the end of the second set. The Eagles continued going point for point with Ithaca but the effort fell short and the Bombers took the second set, 25-20.
 
The opening of the third set was a back and forth battle seeing six ties before anyone reached 10 points. After Ithaca jumped to a 12-7 lead, Emory answered with six straight points to reclaim a 13-12 advantage. The battle continued with each team seeing the lead at least twice again and the Bombers reached a 22-19 lead and looked towards the finish line. Monrose re-entered the game and totaled five kills to help Emory take set three, 25-22.
 
The offensive fire continued right into the fourth set with Emory taking a quick 10-5 lead on kills from senior Leneia Niko and Monrose. Ithaca looked to close the gap in the middle of the set creating a 13-10 deficit but the Eagles' offense continued to push through taking a 20-13 lead. Emory was able to just get away with a 6-5 run at the end of the fourth set to clinch the match with a 25-18 set score.
 
The Eagles will return to play in the Emory Invitational tomorrow, November 8 where they will face receiving votes Washington & Lee and No. 13 ranked Berry.