ST. LOUIS – The University of Chicago volleyball team closed out the opening weekend of conference play with a statement victory, beating No. 4-ranked Emory University 3-0 on Sunday.

The Maroons (8-5 record) finished off the University Athletic Association's Round Robin #1 with a perfect 3-0 record. The Eagles dropped to 7-3 overall (2-1 UAA).

UChicago was on a roll offensively in the first set, hitting at a sparkling .379 success rate. An 11-2 run midway through the set put the Maroons in the driver's seat at 21-10 and they closed out shortly after at 25-17.

The momentum carried to the second set where UChicago grabbed a quick 6-1 advantage. Emory found its footing however, and eventually took the lead 15-12. The closing points saw clutch play by the Maroons, who tallied three points in-a-row to capture the set at 25-23.

A closely contested third set ultimately saw UChicago pull away in the second half to complete the sweep at 25-22. The Maroons did not drop a set in any of their three matches on the weekend.

The final stats saw a definitive hitting advantage for UChicago (.248 to .167) to go with a 7-3 edge in service aces. Sophomore Maggie McInerney was an offensive force throughout, smacking a team-high 13 kills while swinging at a .306 rate. She also added 10 digs defensively. Sophomore Natalie Schildt also tallied a double-double with 11 kills and 17 digs. Sophomore Cami Cox was efficient with eight kills, a .375 hitting percentage and three blocks. Junior Maya Patel compiled 22 assists and three aces, while senior Maddie Ryan totaled 14 assists. Sophomore libero Julia Craig posted 10 digs.

NEXT MATCH:

• Wednesday, Sept. 21 @ 6:00 PM – Calvin University at UChicago