The No. 11 ESU volleyball team won both its matches on Friday at the Lady Blues Fall Classic in Topeka.
Emporia State is off to its best start in school history at 16-1. The Hornets opened with a 3-0 win over Central Oklahoma and finished the first day of the two-day tournament with a 3-0 win over No. 20 Midwestern State.
Emporia State trailed in Game 1 of the opener 22-17 before going on an 8-3 run to tie the set and then winning 29-27. The Hornets won the final two sets easily, 25-17 and 25-19.
Ting Liu had 21 assists in the first set on her way to 44 for the match and also had a double-double with 10 digs. All-American Arica Shepard led the Hornets in kills with 13 while hitting .321 with two service aces. Brittney Miller hit a career high .611 and had 11 kills. Amy Byfield finished with a match-high 13 digs.
The Hornets rolled against Midwestern State, winning 25-17, 25-22 and 25-21. Shepard again led the way with 13 kills, nine digs and two solo blocks. Miller finished just behind Shepard with 12 kills on a .348 hitting percentage. Miller is hitting .438 for the entire tournament, giving her the lead among players who have appeared in two matches.
Megan Koster joined them in double figures with 10 kills. Liu had 40 assists and has 84 through two matches, good for an average of 14.00 assists per set. Amy Byfield added 12 digs.
The Hornets face UT-Permian Basin today at 9 a.m. and Incarnate Word at 4 p.m. from Lee Arena in Topeka.