EMPORIA STATE VOLLEYBALL OPENS SEASON WITH FIVE SET WIN OVER #18 DRURY IN TOPEKA

September 6, 2019-Emporia State got 20 kills and 17 digs from Yuchen Du as the Hornets defeated #18 Drury 14-25,25-18,25-21, 19-25, 15-7 to open the 2019 season at the Washburn Invitational on Friday.
 
The Hornets fell behind early in the first set and trailed 20-8 at one point. They would outscore the Panthers 6-5 the rest of the set before falling 25-14.
 
The second set was a mirror image of the first with Emporia State taking the big early lead before settling for the 25-18 victory.
 
Emporia State used a 6-1 run to turn a 7-7 tie into a 13-8 lead in the third set on the way to a 25-21 win as they took a 2-1 advantage in the match.
 
A 5-1 run by the Panthers turned a 15-15 tie in the fourth into a 20-16 advantage for Drury in the fourth set before the won 25-19 to force a fifth and deciding set.
 
Du took over in the fifth set, going five for five on attacks and digging three balls. Emporia State scored the first two points on a kill by Du and an ace from Mikayla Simons.  Drury would tie the set at 3-3 before the Hornets rolled off three straight points to take a 6-3 lead.  A Makina Wratten kill pulled Drury within 12-7 before Du scored the final three points on kills to give Emporia State the win.
 
The Hornets will continue play in the Washburn Invitational on Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. when they take on William Jewell.

NOTES
With last year's regular season ending win over then #17 Central Oklahoma, the Hornets now have a two game regular season winning streak over AVCA ranked teams.