At the end of a busy week full of travel, EMU’s volleyball men weren’t up for another upset win, as they lost to the nation’s No. 3 team before topping Lancaster Bible to earn a split at Saturday’s tri-match. The Royals settle at 7-4 on the season, including 2-2 against ranked D-III opponents.
Eastern Mennonite returns to Pennsylvania next weekend for a pair of matches, starting with a Friday night date at Penn State-Behrend. The Royals then play a conference match at Thiel College on Saturday. EMU is currently tied with Juniata atop the CVC at 2-0.
No. 3 Stevens 3, No. 10 EMU 0
Despite giving up the first three points to the talented Ducks, EMU hung close in the first set, earning ties at 16-16 and 17-17. But Stevens took off with a 5-0 run and won set one, 25-18.
The Royals had a small lead in the second before another 5-0 spurt midway through the set gave Stevens the space they needed for a 25-22 decision. EMU made a run early in the third before the Ducks pulled away for a 25-18 clincher.
Josh Elmore (Chester, Va./Matoaca) had 10 kills to lead the attack. Scott Brigham (Montpelier, Va./Patrick Henry) added seven and middle Dan Lutz (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) put down six. Christian Taylor (Richmond, Va./Deep Run) had 32 assists.
Colton Frey (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) had a match high 10 digs, but the defense was limited to a season-low two blocks.
Dylan DeBoer and Gabe Shankweiler co-led Stevens with 10 kills.
No. 10 EMU 3, Lancaster Bible 1
While the Royals stepped up their defensive play at the net, the offense struggled to find consistency against a team they had swept three weeks earlier at home. But they still had enough for the win.
The men took a 10-4 lead in the first set and made it last in a 25-19 decision.
LBC grabbed an 8-3 edge in the second, and led by as many as six points before the Royals charged back to tie the score at 19-19. The men flipped ahead 24-21 but then gave up a 6-1 run to drop the set, 27-25.
Eastern Mennonite had a 7-0 run early in the third set, which they won 25-22, and surged off a 21-21 tie in the fourth to win the day at 25-23.
The Royals hit a season-low .074 in the match but rebounded with 12 blocks, tying their season-high with five solos.
Elmore again had a match-best 13 kills. Tim Callahan (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) had 10 kills and 11 digs. Taylor put up 34 assists.
Micah Buller (Richmond, Va./Douglas Freeman) led all players with 17 digs.
William Ragland (North Chesterfield, Va./Thomas Dale) and R.J. Ocampo (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) each had five blocks, with two of Ragland’s being solo stuffs.
Kasey Gentry led Lancaster Bible College with 12 kills and 11 digs. Setter Kaleb Ansell had 35 assists and seven blocks.