ELON, N.C. – Elon University volleyball defeated Hofstra in straight sets on Friday, Nov. 5 in the first game of the team's Homecoming series in Schar Center.

The Phoenix (15-10, 10-5 CAA) cruised to a home win on the back of their imposing defense that tallied 12 total blocks on the night.

"After two weekends on the road, it was so nice to be back in Schar Center in front of our fans," head coach Mary Tendler said afterwards. "Our aggressive serves and our improved blocking really made a difference in the match tonight. Hofstra is a very good team and they will step up their game tomorrow. We will have to do the same to earn another win."
 
Elon 3, Hofstra 0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-14)
THE RUNDOWN
With the opening set even at 2-2 early, Leah Daniel scored back-to-back kills before a Hofstra attack error made it a 5-2 lead for the maroon and gold. Another Daniel kills and two more attack errors gave Elon some cushion at 8-4. However, the Pride (13-11, 7-6) earned the next five points to take over, 9-8. A 6-0 run put the visitors in front 19-15, but the Phoenix responded with four straight points to knot the set at 19-19. Haylie Clark assisted Jenn Krzeminski to take back control at 22-21, and the pair then recorded a block to make it 23-21. Hofstra's Beatriz Alves put away a ball from Ana Martinovic, but another block from Krzeminski and Sydney Love and an attack error by the Pride allowed Elon to claim the set.

Two kills and a service ace helped the guests build an early 4-2 advantage at start of Set Two, but the Phoenix took off with a 10-0 run and never looked back. Daniel scored three kills, Kellyn Trowse added two and Clark served back-to-back aces to highlight the stretch. Elon took the set 25-17 to go up two sets to none.

Hofstra earned the first two points of Set Three, but a 5-1 swing allowed Elon to wrestle away the lead. The Phoenix used multiple 3-0 runs to pull away, 18-9. A kill from Love and a block by Love and Krzminski keyed a 4-0 push down the stretch that made it 24-13. The sides then traded points as Elon secured the win.
 
HIGHLIGHTS
Clark turned in a double-double with 26 assists and a team-high 10 digs. Daniel led the team in kills will 13, and Krzeminski finished with six kills and a team-best seven blocks (two solo). Natalie Cummins added four blocks while Clark and Love both contributed three. Clark and Krzeminski also turned in two service aces each. On the back row, Alex VanWestrienen was right behind Clark with nine digs and Jordan Gower collected six digs.
 
NOTES
- It was Elon's third win in the all-time series as the Phoenix cuts Hofstra's lead to 10-3.
- The match featured 15 ties, including 15 in the first set, and eight lead changes.
- Elon hit for .244 as a team while Hofstra swung for a .053 clip.
- The Phoenix edged the Pride in points (48.0-44.0), service aces (5-4) and blocks (12-3). The visitors led in kills (37-31), assists (35-29) and digs (39-36).
- With 1,207 career kills, Daniel passes alum Megan Crooks (1991-94) for eighth on the program's all-time kills leaders list. Caroline Lemke (2008-11) stands at seventh with 1,279 kills in her time as a Phoenix.
- Daniel has reached double-digit kills in 17 of the last 18 matches.
- This was the sixth double-double of the season for Clark. The Saint Cloud, Fla. native has now posted double-digit assists in 50 consecutive matches.
- Krzeminski was one block shy of tying her season high and the team was also one block shy of tying its season high.

UP NEXT
The Phoenix and the Pride meet again tomorrow for a 7 p.m. first serve in Schar Center.