Split in Paradise, Sweep for History: Eagles Claim 1st ’26 Win
Embry-Riddle Eagles Split Doubleheader at Shark Tank Classic in Honolulu
Quick Summary: The Embry-Riddle women’s volleyball team played two matches in one day in Hawaii. They lost a close match to Oregon Tech but bounced back strong to sweep Doane for their first win of the 2026 season!
What Happened in Honolulu?
The Eagles traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii for the Shark Tank Classic tournament. On Saturday, they played a doubleheader (two matches in one day):
- Morning Match: Lost to Oregon Tech 3-1
- Afternoon Match: Beat Doane (Nebraska) 3-0
Match 1: Oregon Tech Beats Embry-Riddle 3-1
The Set Scores
| Set | Oregon Tech | Embry-Riddle |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 21 |
| 2 | 25 | 23 |
| 3 | 17 | 25 |
| 4 | 25 | 18 |
How the Match Went
- First two sets: Super close! The Eagles fought hard but came up just short (25-21, 25-23)
- Third set: Embry-Riddle broke through! They hit .258 (that’s really good!) and won 25-17 to stay alive
- Fourth set: Oregon Tech went on a late scoring run to close it out 25-18
Volleyball Vocabulary: A "set" is like a mini-game. First team to 25 points wins the set (must win by 2). Match winner = first to 3 sets!
Eagle Standouts vs Oregon Tech
| Player | Key Stats |
|---|---|
| Anela Chew | 12 kills + 13 digs = Double-double! |
| Brooke Eglinton | 11 kills, 4 block assists |
| Abbylynn Farrell | 8 kills |
| Hannah Clear | 7 kills on .357 hitting (super efficient!) |
| Alice Tuci (Setter) | 25 assists, 3 service aces |
| Sydney Sniffen (Libero) | Team-high 16 digs |
ELI5 Definitions:
- Kill = Smashing the ball so the other team can’t return it (scores a point!)
- Dig = Saving a hard-hit ball from hitting the floor
- Assist = Setting up a teammate for a kill
- Service Ace = Serve that scores directly (other team can’t return it)
- Block Assist = Helping stop an attack at the net
- Hitting % = (Kills – Errors) ÷ Total Attempts. Higher = better!
- Double-double = Double digits in TWO stats (like 12 kills + 13 digs)
- Libero = Defensive specialist in a different colored jersey
Team Effort: Eagles had 63 total digs as a team — great defense!
Match 2: Embry-Riddle Sweeps Doane 3-0
The Set Scores
| Set | Embry-Riddle | Doane |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 19 |
| 2 | 25 | 10 |
| 3 | 25 | 18 |
Complete Domination!
The Eagles controlled the match from start to finish:
| Stat Category | Embry-Riddle | Doane | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .167 | -.044 | Eagles! |
| Service Aces | 10 | 2 | Eagles +8! |
| Total Blocks | 15 | 11 | Eagles +4 |
| Opponent Kills | Held to 19 total | — | Amazing defense! |
Negative hitting %? Yes! Doane made MORE errors than kills. That’s how good the Eagle defense was!
Eagle Standouts vs Doane
| Player | Key Stats |
|---|---|
| Hannah Clear | 9 kills, .692 hitting, ZERO errors |
| Abbylynn Farrell | 9 kills |
| Anela Chew | 8 kills + team-high 13 digs |
| Alexsandra Rodriguez | 4 kills on 8 swings, no errors |
| Sydney Sniffen | 2 service aces |
| Brooke Eglinton | 2 service aces |
| Destiny Matthews | 5 total blocks (wall at the net!) |
First Win Alert: This was Embry-Riddle’s first victory of the 2026 season!
What’s Next for the Eagles?
Upcoming Match
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opponent | University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy in St. Louis |
| Date | Friday, August 21, 2026 |
| Time | 12:00 PM |
| Location | TBD (Check team schedule) |
| History | View past matchups |
Key Takeaways
Important Points:
- Eagles showed resilience — bounced back from tough loss to win convincingly
- Balanced attack — Multiple players stepping up (Clear, Farrell, Chew, Eglinton)
- Defense wins championships — 63 digs vs Oregon Tech, held Doane to 19 kills
- Serving weapon — 10 aces vs Doane is a huge advantage
- Season momentum — First win in the books, confidence building!
Summary
The Embry-Riddle Eagles had a tale of two matches in Honolulu. They started the day with a heartbreaking 3-1 loss to Oregon Tech where they were competitive but couldn’t close the close sets. Anela Chew led the charge with a double-double (12 kills, 13 digs).
But the afternoon told a completely different story — the Eagles dominated Doane 3-0 for their first win of 2026! Hannah Clear was nearly perfect (9 kills, .692 hitting, zero errors), the serving was unstoppable (10 aces!), and the defense suffocated Doane (only 19 kills allowed, negative hitting percentage).
Now the Eagles carry momentum into their next match against University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy on August 21st at noon. Go Eagles!
FAQ
What does "3-1" and "3-0" mean in volleyball?
Answer: Matches are best-of-5 sets. "3-1" means the winner won 3 sets, loser won 1. "3-0" is a sweep — winner won all 3 sets played. First to 3 sets wins the match!
What’s a "double-double" and why is it special?
Answer: When a player gets double digits (10+) in TWO different stats in one match. Anela Chew had 12 kills AND 13 digs — that means she was elite at BOTH offense AND defense. Very rare and impressive!
How can a team have a negative hitting percentage?
Answer: Hitting % = (Kills – Errors) ÷ Attempts. If a team makes more hitting errors than kills, the number goes negative. Doane’s -.044 means they basically gave away more points than they scored attacking.
What’s the difference between a kill and a dig?
Answer: Kill = OFFENSE — you smash the ball down for a point. Dig = DEFENSE — you dive/save a hard-hit ball to keep it alive. Anela Chew did BOTH at a high level!
Why are service aces such a big deal?
Answer: An ace means your serve scores directly — the other team can’t even touch it cleanly. It’s a free point without a rally. 10 aces vs Doane = 10 free points + messed up their offense rhythm. Huge weapon!