FREDERICK, Md. – The Drew University women's volleyball team opened its 2025 season with a tri-match split at Hood College on Saturday.
 
The Rangers opened with a 3-1 (20-25, 25-15, 25-21, 25-13) win over Eastern Mennonite University before dropping a tight 3-1 decision to Hood (23-25, 19-25, 26-24, 24-26).
 
Senior Emily Shirk posted 12 kills and 10 digs versus Eastern Mennonite while sophomore Lindsey Millis notched eight kills and 15 digs. Freshman Cristina Coombs recorded 24 assists and seven digs in her collegiate debut, and sophomore Aidyn Stone also scooped 15 digs. Junior Meghan Pullen contributed three blocks in her Ranger debut.
 
After the Royals won the opening set, the score was tied 5-5 in the second set before Drew used a broke it open with a 13-4 run. The Rangers trailed 13-6 in the third set but stormed with an 11-2 run to assume a 17-15 lead. The Royals went in front 19-18 before Drew used a 7-2 surge to close out the set.
 
Drew was never threatened in the final set, when it blitzed to a 10-0 lead and eventually led by as much as 17-3.
 
In the Hood match, Mills paced the Rangers with 14 kills and 15 digs while Shirk recorded her second double-double of the day with 14 kills and 10 digs. Coombs distributed 31 assists while Stone registered 15 digs.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
 
Neither side led by more than four in the first set. The Rangers led 13-10 in the second set before the Blazers opened up a cushion with a 6-0 run. Drew edged to within 20-19, but the Blazers ended the set with a 5-0 run to assume a 2-0 lead.
 
Hood led 19-14 in the third set, only to see the Rangers catch fire with a 9-1 run, which included three kills from Millis. The Blazers fought back to tie it at 24-24, but Drew clinched the set with kills from Shirk and senior Inaya Stanford.
 
In the fourth and final set, Drew led 14-11 early before Hood took control with a 9-2 run. However, the Rangers refused to go quietly and used a 6-1 run to pull even at 24-24. Shirk threw down three kills along the way while Stone served up two aces. But the Blazers clinched the match on a ball-handling error and a kill.
 
The Rangers continue their season next Saturday, when they host a tri-match with Penn State Harrisburg and Franklin & Marshall College starting at noon.