HARRISONBURG, Va. (EMU Athletics) – After a heartbreaking loss in their last match 10 days ago, EMU Men’s Volleyball assistant coach Nate McGhee said the team’s practice word over the last week has been “consistency.”
Consistency was definitely on the forefront of the Royals minds on Tuesday, as they made just seven errors, while hitting .366, in a dominating 3-0 (25-11, 25-11, 25-16) ODAC win over Lynchburg.
Records: EMU 4-6, 1-0 ODAC | Lynchburg 2-4, 0-1 ODAC
Highlights
Set One: EMU 25, Lynchburg 11
• Lynchburg jumped out to a 3-1 lead to start the match, but the Royals came roaring back with a 9-2 run, highlighted by two kills from Jose Melendez and blocks from Melendez, Daeman Odom, Derek Diaz and James Powell.
• After back-to-back service errors, EMU went on another big run, this time 10-2, with Odom picking up a pair of kills, a pair of aces and a pair of solo blocks, for a 21-8 advantage. The Hornets managed three more points in the set, but a solo block and two kills from Powell gave EMU a 1-0 lead.
Set Two: EMU 25, Lynchburg 11
• Things didn’t start any better for Lynchburg in the second set, as EMU pulled ahead 11-4, highlighted by two kills from Diaz and two blocks. After a kill from Pierce Donnelly gave EMU an eight-point lead, the Hornets rallied with three straight points to cut their deficit to five.
• It was another 10-2 run from the Royals that followed that Lynchburg run, extending EMU’s lead to 22-9 after three kills from Diaz and two from Ezekiel Awkward, along with an Awkward service ace.
• Lynchburg used an EMU service error and an ace of their own, to pull within 11. But EMU finished the set, winning the final three points on an error, a Melendez kill and a Diaz service ace.
Set Three: EMU 25, Lynchburg 16
• Lynchburg came out with some momentum to start the final frame, keeping things close all the way to 6-6. But once again, EMU was able to snatch the mo’ right back with a 6-1 run with a pair of kills and two blocks.
• The Hornets scored three straight, forcing an EMU timeout, leading 12-10. Out of the break, the Royals won seven of the next nine points with four different players picking up kills, to extend the lead to 19-12. Lynchburg responded with three of the next four points, but EMU shut down any chance of a comeback with a 5-1 run, including back-to-back blocks from Powell/Diaz and Powell/Donnelly to wrap up the sweep.
Statistical Leaders
Kills: Diaz (9)
Assists: Ricky Fernandez (15), Gael Bravo (10)
Blocks: Powell (1 BS, 7 BA), Odom (3 BS, 2 BA), Melendez (5 BA), Team (14.5 TB)
Service Aces: Fernandez, Powell, Odom, Awkward (2)
What’s Next
EMU will look to get back to .500 and stay undefeated in the ODAC, when they head to Danville for a Saturday doubleheader against Averett. First serve of the match one is set for 3:00 pm.
— EMU Athletics —
