The Benedictine Mesa women's volleyball team battled hard but ultimately fell in straight sets to Embry-Riddle (AZ) on Tuesday night. Despite strong moments from several Redhawks, the Eagles' consistency and late-set runs proved to be the difference, as Benedictine dropped the match 18-25, 18-25, 22-25.

In the opening set, Benedictine found themselves in a back-and-forth battle early on. Railey Druxman and Janae Moore each delivered key kills to keep the Redhawks within striking distance, and a service ace from Haley Azzoz helped tie the score at 8-8. However, Embry-Riddle responded with a strong run led by Haeden Baker and Emma Barber, closing out the set 25-18.

The second set followed a similar rhythm. The Redhawks rallied behind kills from BelleRose Branconier and Moore, as well as a service ace by Camille Collins to cut the deficit to 14-12. Despite the momentum, Embry-Riddle capitalized on Benedictine errors and used an efficient attack from Barber to secure another 25-18 win.

Benedictine showed resilience in the third set, racing to an early 7-3 lead behind Druxman's serving and a balanced offensive push from Allyson Griepentrog and Logan McPherson. The Eagles, however, mounted a comeback midway through the set. The Redhawks fought off multiple match points with a late surge — including a service ace from Vivianna Galvan and back-to-back kills by Druxman — but Embry-Riddle held on to take the final set 25-22.

Key Performers:

• Railey Druxman: 9 kills, 2 aces, 2 blocks, 7 digs
• Vivianna Galvan: 17 assists, 6 digs, 2 kills

Up Next:
The Redhawks are back on the court on Friday, October 31^st as they take on Life Pacific at home.