Worcester, Mass. – It was go time for Golden Eagle volleyball, who after three flights and a long day on Wednesday, traveled to Massachusetts for a true road match at Assumption University of the Northeast 10 Conference.
 
Four different Golden Eagles would finish with double-doubles, as they would hold off the hosts, Assumption, 3-2 (17-25, 25-19, 25-18, 21-25, 15-12). The Golden Eagles move to 1-0 on the season.
 
Set One
Starting in her first career match, Ellery Ehresmann (Fr., S, Albany, Minn.) would get the first serve of the season and the first service ace of the season, putting the Golden Eagles up early, 1-0.
 
Emma Malek (Jr., MB, Plainfield, Ill.) and Abigail Ernster (Fr., OH, La Crescent, Minn.) would collect back-to-back kills for an early 6-3 lead.
 
The Greyhounds would go on a 5-0 run and never look back, winning the first set, 25-17.
 
Second Set
The second set would once again see a solid start from the away six.
 
The second set would be tied at four, but three straight by the Golden Eagles, capped off by a Carizma Muth (R-So., OH, Randolph, Wis.) kill, would give the Golden Eagles a 7-4 lead.
 
Assumption would cut it to 8-6, but Ernster would go on a five point run at the service line for a 13-6 lead.
 
Minnesota Crookston would eventually lead 17-8, but would see the Greyhounds get back in the set with three in a row and make it 17-11.
 
Lexi Scharold (So., MB, Alexandria, Kent.) would collect a kill and Madison Carsten (Jr., OH, Wadena, Minn.) would finish off a service ace for a 19-11 lead.
 
The Greyhounds would once again make it interesting, cutting the maroon and gold lead to just three, but the M & M sisters, Malek and Muth, would help the Golden Eagles get some more cushion at 22-17.
 
The Golden Eagles would finish the set and win by six.
 
Set Three
It would be the same story in set three, except this time, it might've been the best start the Golden Eagles have had on the young year.
 
Minnesota Crookston would control the first ten points of the set, scoring eight of the ten.
 
Muth would come alive, as she would collect four kills and Ernster would collect three early on in the set, as the Golden Eagles would force a timeout, leading 11-3.
 
However, Assumption would make it a set and trail by just one at 15-14, but an error, a Kailee Waasdorp (Jr., DS/Lib., West Fargo, N.D.) and a massive block from Malek and Muth would right the ship and force a Greyhound timeout leading by four.
 
From 15-14 advantage, it would be all Golden Eagles, who would win the second set, 25-18.
 
Carsten had a double-double through three sets, having 12 kills and 12 digs.
 
Set Four
For yet another set, the Golden Eagles would jump out to another big lead, taking an 8-4 advantage, forcing a timeout.
 
Following the timeout, the Greyhounds would score five straight and lead 9-8, but Dana Melby (R-Jr., S, Gonvick, Minn.) would collect a kill, stopping the tide and tying it back at nine.
 
Assumption would take a three point lead at 16-13, but the Golden Eagles would answer with two in a row, cutting the lead to just one, once again.
 
Assumption would win the fourth set, 25-21, so we would head to a fifth.
 
Fifth Set
The fifth set would be back-and-forth, as the two programs would trade points through the first six points, but the Golden Eagles would take a 7-4 lead following a Muth service ace.
 
The Golden Eagles would take an 8-7 lead, as both teams would switch sides at the mandatory halfway point of the fifth and deciding set.
 
The fifth set would be tied at nine, but a Malek service ace would give the Golden Eagles a 11-9 lead.
 
The set would be a one point game at 13-12, but the maroon and gold would score the final two points of the set and move to 1-0.
 
Individual Stats
Carsten led the way with 17 kills and 16 digs. In her first career match, Ernster finished with a double-double as well, ending the match with 11 kills and 18 digs. Ehresmann finished with 11 digs and 25 assists. Melby ended the match with 18 assists. Muth also ended with a double-double, finishing with 11 digs and 12 kills.
 
The balance and the service line was the biggest storyline on the day. Minnesota Crookston had 13 service aces in the match, while the Greyhounds had just five.
 
What's Next
Minnesota Crookston will look for their second consecutive 2-0 start tomorrow, as they play Saint Anselm at 5 P.M. (CT).