Needing a win to keep pace in the CVC standings, the Eastern Mennonite volleyball men came up just short Wednesday night at Marymount.  The Royals took a 2-1 lead, but watched the Saints battle back for a critical five-set decision.

EMU falls to 1-4 in the CVC at the mid-point of their season.  The men are also 5-9 overall as they begin a spring break road trip to New York where they will play five matches over the next three days.

It was back-and-forth against the Saints, a new program in their first season in the Continental Volleyball Conference.  In game one, the Royals recovered from a 17-13 deficit to win 25-22.  MU scored the first three points in game two and never let the men back into it, winning 25-19.

Eastern Mennonite never trailed in the third game, but needed extra points to win, getting a kill and then block from Quentin Moore (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) for a 28-26 decision.

The men struggled to start game four, falling behind 5-0 before finally tying it up at 14-14.  But a 7-0 run by the Saints was the knockout punch, turning into a 25-20 final.

Game five looked great for the visitors, as they jumped to a 5-1 lead, but then errors took over for both teams.  Unfortunately for the Royals they made more miscues to the tune of three service errors and seven attack errors.  They still clung to a 13-12 lead before giving up three straight points to lose, 15-13.

Moore finished with match highs of 26 kills, 14 digs, six blocks and two service aces.  Marc Lovell (Newport News, Va./Menchville) had 11 kills with just four errors to go with 11 digs.  Jesse Reist (Lancaster, Pa./J.P. McCaskey) added 12 kills.  Matt Dolan (Chester, Va./Thomas Dale) had 49 set assists.

Kyle Storc (Columbus, Oh./Bishop Watterson) was good for six blocks as well, while Garrett Delph (Berryville, Va./Leesburg Christian) had five stuffs.  EMU had 24 as a team.  Second-leading hitter Scott Brigham (Montpelier, Va./Patrick Henry) continues to miss time with a bad back.  The men are 1-5 without him.

Bryce Ernsberger led Marymount with 26 kills and 12 digs.