HARRISONBURG, Va. - With a plethora of new and returning talent, the Royals men's volleyball team finally hit the court on Saturday, welcoming in Mount St. Joseph and Averett to Yoder Arena. 

Match one was a nail biter, but EMU was able to pick up a 3-2 (25-18, 25-23, 21-25, 17-25, 15-13) win over Mount St. Joseph. The second match was less stressful as EMU dominated Averett, 3-0 (25-8, 25-13, 25-19). 

EMU vs Mount St. Joseph

Records: EMU 1-0, 0-0 CVC | Mount St. Joseph 0-1, 0-0 MCVL

Highlights

Set One
The teams traded points to a 6-6 tie, before MSJ went on a 5-0 run to take an 11-6 lead. EMU responded with a 4-1 run with kills from Nate McGhee, David Ward and AJ Bagby but the Lions scored twice more to go ahead 14-10. The Royals then scored nine straight, with back-to-back blocks, one from Walter Spurlock and Ben Childers and the other from Ward and Childers, to take a 19-14 lead. MSJ was able to pull within four, but the Royals put the set away with a 5-2 run for a 1-0 lead. 

Set Two
With things tied at three, EMU picked up kills from Spurlock and Ward, along with a Ward ace, to take a 6-3 lead. Later in the set, another EMU run, this time 6-2, gave them a 15-10 lead before MSJ answered with a 4-0 tilt of their own to pull within one. MSJ eventually tied things at 18 and later took a 22-20 lead, but the Royals didn't panic and tied things at 22 with an error and a Jose Melendez kill. The Lions pulled ahead 23-22, but EMU finished things off with three straight for a 2-0 lead. 

Set Three
Neither team could pull ahead by much in the third set and an MSJ error and a Ward kill tied things at 11 midway through. A 7-3 Lions run gave them an 18-14 advantage and they were able to maintain their four-point lead to 20-16. But another Ward kill and another MSJ error brought EMU within two but MSJ answered and won three of the final four points of the set. 

Set Four
MSJ started set for on a 6-2 run before EMU rallied with a kill from Childers and a block from Spurlock, to pull within one. Later in the set, EMU was able to tie things at 13, 14, 15 and 16, but the Lions finished strong, winning nine of the next 10 points to take set two and send the match to a fifth and final set. 

Set Five
EMU fell behind 5-2 to start the fifth set but the Royals were able to fight back and tie things at six. Later, with MSJ leading 8-6, EMU scored three straight, with a pair of Lion errors and a block from Bagby and Tyler Oaks. The teams traded points and it looked like MSJ was about to pick up the win, leading 13-11, before a big 4-0 run from the Royals. A Ward kill and a Spurlock/Childers block tied things at 13. A Lion error pushed it to match point and another Spurlock/Childers block secured the EMU win. 

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Ward (20), Childers (8)
Assists: Oaks (35)
Blocks: Childers (8), Spurlock (5), Oaks (4) 

EMU vs Averett

Records: EMU 2-0, 0-0 CVC | Averett 0-2

Highlights

Set One
A kill from McGhee got things started for EMU before Averett tied it up at one. An 11-1 run followed for the Royals as they pulled ahead 12-2. After a service error, the Royals went on another run, this time 5-0, for a 17-3 lead. Averett answered with a 4-1 run, but EMU put things away with a 7-1 tilt, including a pair of Oaks aces to wrap up the set. 

Set Two
Set two started much the same, with the Royals leading 10-3. The Cougars were able to pull within five, 12-7, before EMU answered with a 7-1 run, highlighted by kills from Ward, McGhee and Andre Mills. Averett made the score 19-11 with an error and a kill, but once again EMU pulled away, this time with a 5-0 tilt. AU scored a pair at the end, but a service error gave the Royals a 2-0 lead. 

Set Three
Set three was close and Averett held a slim 7-6 lead, but EMU scored four of the next five, with points from Bagby and Mills, for a 12-8 lead. AU pulled back ahead, 12-11, but the Royals rallied again, taking a 17-14 advantage. The teams went back and forth, and the Cougars were able to cut the lead to one at 20-19, before EMU put the match away with a 5-0 run, including a pair of kills from Mills and a fitting match-ending block from Pierce Donnelly and Delan Wright. 

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Mills (9), Ward (6)
Assists: Oaks (13), Rey De La Cruz (11)
Service Aces: McGhee (5)

What's Next 
EMU will be back in action next Saturday when they head to Ohio for the Baldwin Wallace Invitational. They'll take on the hosts at 7 pm. 

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