SIOUX CITY, Iowa - In its second match at the 2017 NAIA National Championship, the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) volleyball team held a 2-1 lead against No. 14 Montana Tech, only to see the Lady Orediggers come back to take a close, 3-2 (24-26, 25-19, 24-26, 25-10, 15-11) decision.

It was a closely played match in each of the first three sets, with Embry-Riddle (29-5) claiming wins in the first and third sets to take its 2-1 lead in the match. With the score tied at 17-17 in the first set the Eagles picked up a pair of kills from junior Jalin Yoder (Fountain Hills, Ariz.) as well as two aces from senior Kaitlin Shroll (Tempe, Ariz.) that led to a 22-18 lead. Montana Tech (24-8) came back to tie it up at 24-all, but ERAU won the final two points, taking the set on a block by senior Leah De Laurell (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and junior Lyndsey Weiler (Phoenix, Ariz.).

In the second set with the score tied at 10-10, the Lady Orediggers won two straight points and held on to their lead the rest of the way. A kill by Weiler had the Eagles within two at 17-15, but it was as close as they would get as Montana Tech went on to take the set.

Montana Tech worked to an 8-5 advantage in the third set, but Embry-Riddle came back to tie it at 9-all on an attack error. The score was tied nine times after that as neither team could pull away. Another hitting error and a Yoder kill put the Eagles up 23-21, but the Lady Orediggers tied it at 24-24 on a block. ERAU then took the set on kills from freshmen Caylee Robalin (El Paso, Texas) and Sharik Joseph (Spring Valley, Calif.).

A huge run by Montana Tech was the difference in set four as the Lady Orediggers broke it open with 15 straight points to take a commanding 18-2 lead. Tech committed just two hitting errors on its way to a .378 hitting percentage in the set.

Montana Tech took a three-point lead in the deciding third set, but ERAU came back with three straight kills by Robalin, Joseph, and Weiler to knot it up at 5-5. Tech went on a 6-1 run to take an 11-6 lead, but the Eagles picked up a Joseph kill and a block by Joseph and Yoder to pull within three. Â It was as close as ERAU would get, however, as Montana Tech went on to take the match.

Embry-Riddle will conclude pool play tomorrow when they take on No. 18 Madonna University (Mich.) at 9:00 a.m. MST.