The American University volleyball team registered its fourth straight win and remained undefeated in Bender Arena with a 3-2 victory over UMBC on Wednesday night.

UMBC (9-6) jumped out to a 7-1 advantage to open the match, forcing the Eagles to call a timeout. The Retrievers continued to hold off American's attack, going up 15-7 before a kill by Bree Scarbrough made it a five-point match, 17-12. The Eagles battled back to knot it up at 23-all on back-to-back errors by UMBC, but a kill from Krystal Mlemchukwu and an attack error by Sarah Katz gave the Retrievers a 25-23 win in the first set.

American (14-1) fought back from a four-point deficit at the start of the second set, taking an 11-8 advantage on a UMBC error. The Retrievers answered with consecutive tallies but the Eagles pulled away, taking an 18-14 lead on an Allison Cappellino kill as UMBC called a timeout. American was able to hold off any attempts at a Retrievers' comeback with a kill from Juliana Crum tying the match at one set apiece with a 25-17 victory.

The third set went back and forth before the Eagles jumped out to a 9-5 advantage on back-to-back kills from Scarbrough. American continued to roll, notching three consecutive points for the 20-12 lead and closing out the set on a 5-2 run for the 25-14 win and 2-0 match lead.

The Eagles took an early lead in the fourth set but UMBC was able to knot it up six times before it registered three straight tallies for a 12-9 advantage. A 6-0 run, including four straight service aces by Mallory McIntyre, put the Retrievers up 19-12. American continued to fight, preventing set point with a kill by Kelly McCaddin, but after a UMBC timeout Sherelle Walker secured the 25-19 win with a kill to force a fifth set.

The final set was tied five times as the two teams grappled for the lead. The Eagles were able to pull away with six straight tallies for the 10-5 advantage. A block by Hannah Schmidt and Emily Witsaman put the Retrievers within three, 10-7, but American registered five consecutive points to secure its fourth straight victory.

Crum and Monika Smidova recorded double-doubles for the Eagles in the match. Crum finished with 10 kills and a team-high 15 digs for her fourth straight double-double and Smidova paced the offense with 55 assists, adding 12 digs and six blocks. Cappellino led American with 18 kills, hitting .353, and Kristyna Lindovska tallied 17 kills in the match.

Mallory McIntyre posted the double-double for UMBC with 41 assists and 10 digs. Mlemchukwu led the offense with 13 kills, hitting .312 on the night. Casey Griffith tallied 18 digs.

American opens Patriot League play this weekend with a pair of away contests. The Eagles head to Easton, Pa. to take on Lafayette on Friday, September 27 at 7 p.m. in its conference opener before facing Bucknell on Saturday, September 28 at 5 p.m.