Embry-Riddle (AZ) opened Great Southwest Athletic Conference play on Saturday afternoon with a tough road test against OUAZ, falling in straight sets (13-25, 19-25, 15-25) at Faith Arena.

Despite the loss, the Eagles showed flashes of promise throughout the match, particularly in the second and third sets where they battled through multiple tie scores and lead changes. Emma Barber led the offensive effort with 11 kills and 4 digs, while Haeden Baker added 4 kills and contributed at the net with a solo block and three block assists.

Ronni Lyons anchored the defense with 10 digs and chipped in 2 kills on a .286 hitting percentage. Setter Alice Tuci distributed 19 assists and added 5 digs, helping the Eagles stay competitive against a strong OUAZ squad.

Embry-Riddle struggled to find consistency on offense, hitting just .037 as a team. The Eagles were outpaced by OUAZ's .261 hitting percentage and 45 total kills. However, the team showed resilience, especially in the second set where they kept pace with the Spirit and forced three ties and a lead change.

Sydney Sniffen and Anela Chew each contributed on both ends of the court, while Alexis Creager provided a spark off the bench with 9 digs and a service ace.

Embry-Riddle will return to Prescott on September 12th as GSAC play continues with Life Pacific.