ATLANTA, Ga. - The No. 2 Knights started Saturday upsetting the No. 1 Emory Eagles at the Emory National Invitational, 3-1. Calvin was looking to tie the season series with the Eagles after Emory defeated Calvin earlier this season at the Calvin College Labor Day Weekend Invitational, 3-1, on Sept. 4. The Knights improve to 9-2 in 2015, while Emory picks up its first loss of the season at 12-1.

"It was the first time I saw us really compete mentally and refuse to give in," said head coach Amber Warners. "We have worked on that for the past few weeks. We served aggressively and didn't let a few missed opportunities affect the next play. We saw a glimpse of what this team is capable of but still have a ways to go. We need to come out the next match with the same mentality"

In the first set, the Knights and Eagles exchanged blows for the first 12 point. With the set tied at six, the Knights went on a 6-3 run to take a 12-9 lead. The Eagles fought back to cut the Calvin lead to, 12-11. Calvin answered the Emory run with a 7-0 run to extend the lead to, 19-11. The Knights would not look back from there and won the set, 25-17. Senior Maggie Kamp (Orland Park, Ill./Chicago Christian HS) tallied seven kills in the first set.

The second set saw both teams coming out firing, with the set tied at seven, the Knights would create some separation with a 9-3 run. The Knights would go on to take the set, 25-19. The second set saw a balanced attack by the Knights, with five players having three or more kills, with sophomore Tessa Van Laare (Toronto, Ontario/ Toronto District Christian HS) recording four kills in the set.

With their backs against the wall the No. 1 Eagles came away with a victory in the third set. Emory jumped out to an early, 7-1 lead, behind the serve of Sheridan Rice. Calvin would continue to chip away at the lead and tied the set at 11. The lead continued to change until Emory would go on a 4-0 run to take a 21-16 lead. Emory would go on to take the set, 25-18.

The Knights started the fourth set with a spark, taking early 5-2 and 8-4 leads. Emory would push back to tie the match at eight. Calvin would then go on a 3-0 run behind the serve of freshman Keilahna Castillo (Grandville, Mich./Grandville HS). With Calvin leading, 16-13, the Knights looked to put away the Eagles with a 7-3 run. Freshman Anna Kamp (Orland Park, Ill./Chicago Christian HS) put an end to the match from a kill from sophomore Jenna Lodewyk (Villa Park, Ill./Timothy Christian HS) to take the set, 25-18.

Maggie Kamp finished with a season-best 19 kills and 14 digs in the match, Laura Danhoff (Willard, Ohio/Willard HS) finished the match with 13 kills, also a season high. Tessa Van Laare and Anna Kamp both tallied 10 kills. Jenna Lodewyk recorded a season-high 47 assists on Saturday afternoon. Tessa Van Laare had 2.5 blocks in the match and Keilahna Castillo finished with a season-high 21 digs.

The Knights return to action at 4 p.m. as they finish the Emory National Invitational with No. 9 Cal Lutheran.