WASHINGTON - Four players reached double figures in kills as the American University volleyball team improved to 7-0 with a four-set victory over visiting Alabama A&M. The Eagles had a tough second set but rebounded with dominant performances in the third and fourth, winning the match 25-18, 21-25, 25-13 and 25-12.

Notable

• The win streak is AU's longest to start the season since the 2013 team was 10-0 on its way to a historic finish in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Thanks in part to a high volume of matches early on, the Eagles are currently the only volleyball team in the nation to be 7-0.
• Freshman Zedo Yilmaz led the way with a team-best 15 kills along with a match and season-high six service aces. 
• Junior Adelina Berisha recorded her first double-double of the season with a career-tying 15 digs to go with 12 kills.
• Both senior Lilou Stegeman and sophomore Sofia Osterdahl reached 10 kills in the win, with Stegeman adding two solo blocks.
• Senior Esma Sipahi had 44 assists and eight digs, and has moved into ninth place all-time in program history with 2,144 assists.
• The Eagles posted 56 kills to Alabama A&M's 39, and 51 digs to the Bulldogs' 34. Alabama A&M had a solid lead in blocking with nine team blocks compared to two for American.

How it Happened

• American led the whole way through the opening set after jumping out to a 7-2 lead, but the Bulldogs made it close throughout the middle.
• It was 12-11 before AU began creating more distance. Yilmaz posted two aces and a kill in a 5-0 run that put the Eagles up 20-13, and they won it 25-18 on the seventh kill for Berisha.
• The second set was a tough one for AU and only the third set loss of the season as the Eagles fell 25-21.
• Alabama A&M hit .243 to AU's .114 as eight attack errors proved costly. Berisha served up two aces in a 5-0 run that helped the Eagles recover near the midway point and take a 17-16 lead, but the Bulldogs soon surged ahead yet again. After a final tie at 20-20, A&M closed out on a 5-1 run.
• Momentum shifted back to American in the third set in a big way. The Eagles, who hit .400 to the Bulldogs' .208, surged ahead 9-4 and continued to extend their advantage the rest of the way.
• Yilmaz rattled off four kills in a short stretch that gave AU a 22-11 lead, and her fourth ace of the match gave AU set point at 24-12. After a kill for Alabama A&M, Stegeman finished it off with a kill for a 25-13 set win and a 2-1 lead in the match.
• The fourth set was AU's strongest with 16 kills and a hitting percentage of .424. The Eagles built leads of 12-4, 17-6 and 24-9 before winning 24-12 on an Osterdahl kill.

Next Up

• The Eagles will take on Maryland at 5 p.m. today for their annual Bender Blue-Out.

Keep Up With Us

• For the latest on American University Volleyball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on X/Twitter (@AU_Volleyball), Facebook (/AU.Volleyball) and Instagram (@au_volleyball).