ERAU kicked off the 2025 volleyball season with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Texas Wesleyan on Friday morning at the UWAC in San Antonio before dropping the second game of the day to Our Lady of The Lake 3-0.  

Game 1
The Eagles edged out the Rams in a match filled with momentum swings, clutch performances, and standout individual efforts.

Embry-Riddle claimed the win with set scores of 27-25, 26-24, 24-26, 25-22, showcasing resilience and composure in tight moments. The match featured 29 tie scores and 11 lead changes, highlighting the competitive nature of the contest.

Leading the way for the Eagles was Anela Chew, who posted a team-high 14 kills and added 15.0 points. Emma Barber also made a significant impact with 11 kills, 3 service aces, and 15.0 points, while Alexsandra Rodriguez contributed 9 kills and 4 digs.

Setter Alice Tuci orchestrated the offense with 31 assists, and Alexis Creager anchored the defense with 12 digs and 2 service aces. Embry-Riddle's balanced attack and defensive tenacity proved crucial in closing out each set.

Texas Wesleyan put up a strong fight, led by Victoria Smith and Hanna Rubis, who each tallied 11 kills. Smith also added 5 blocks and 16.5 points, while Rubis hit an impressive .364 and contributed 13.5 points.

Despite dropping the third set, Embry-Riddle regrouped and sealed the match in the fourth, capitalizing on key plays and minimizing errors down the stretch.

Game 2
ERAU dropped a competitive three-set match to Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) on Friday afternoon at the UWAC, falling 25-19, 25-16, 35-33.

Despite the straight-set loss, the Eagles showed grit and determination, especially in the third set, which featured 14 tie scores and 7 lead changes before OLLU ultimately closed it out.

Embry-Riddle's offense was led by Chew, who recorded 11 kills and 11.0 points, while  Rodriguez added 10 kills and hit an efficient .381. Hannah Clear also contributed 10 kills with a team-best hitting percentage of .444.

Tuci dished out 29 assists and added 9 digs, while Barber chipped in with 7 kills and 7.5 points. Defensively,  Creager and Ronni Lyons each tallied 9 digs to help anchor the back row.

OLLU's balanced attack proved decisive, with Anais Velazquez and Bailey Scott combining for 22 kills, and the team hitting .280 overall. 

ERAU moves to 1-1 on the season and will finish the Halo Classic with two more matches tomorrow with the first beginning at 8am AZ time against William Carey.