VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Royals continued their 2024 road swing, this time heading down to Virginia Beach for the VWU Tournament, hosted by future ODAC foe, Virginia Wesleyan.

The Royals dropped their opening match to the University of Mount Olive, 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 17-25, 25-16) before rebounding in the nightcap to sweep St. Andrews 3-0 (29-27, 27-25, 25-18).

EMU vs Mount Olive

Records: EMU 3-2, 0-0 CVC | Mount Olive 3-1, 0-0 Conference Carolinas

Highlights

Set One
The teams started out evenly match in the opening set, tying to six apiece, until EMU went on a 3-0 run with kills from Walter Spurlock, Ben Childers and Nate McGhee. UMO tallied three straight of their own to tie the match and later on, with things tied at 11, a kill from David Ward and a Jose Melendez ace put the Royals ahead 13-11. The Trojans answered with a 10-4 tilt to take a 21-17 lead and took the opening set after winning four of the next five points.

Set Two
Once again, the teams went back and forth in the second frame, staying even to 13-all. But the Trojans broke the set open with a 7-1 run, that was stopped with a Ward kill. With UMO leading 22-15, EMU attempted to rally, adding two points with an error and a Childers block, to pull within five, but that was as close as they'd get as Mount Olive took a 2-0 lead.

Set Three
EMU wasn't ready to go down without a fight, and showed it in set three. They used kills from Childers and Andre Mills, along with a McGhee ace, to jump out to a 6-1 lead. They continued to hold a slight lead after UMO went on a 7-2 run and the teams traded points to EMU leading 13-11. But the Royals responded with a run of their own, 7-1, highlighted by three kills from Ward and a Rey De La Cruz ace, to take a big 20-12 lead. Mount Olive would be able to pull as close as six, but a pair of Trojan errors pushed the set win to EMU.

Set Four
A 9-3 run started the set for Mount Olive but EMU started to chip away with a pair of Trojan errors and a McGhee kill. The teams went back and forth and the Royals were able to pull within four at 18-14 and 19-14, but the Trojans ended things with a 6-1 run to finish out the match.

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Ward (10), McGhee (9)
Assists: Oaks (27)
Digs: McGhee (11)

EMU vs St. Andrews

Records: EMU 4-2, 0-0 CVC | St. Andrews 1-1, 0-0 Appalachian Athletic Conference

Highlights

Set One
Much like the first match, the first set of match two started out very even, with things tied at seven early on. St. Andrews went on a 3-0 run to take a 10-7 lead before EMU used kills from Melendez, Ward, Childers and Spurlock, along with an ace from Tyler Oaks and a block from Childers and Spurlock, to take an 18-16 lead. The Knights responded and even led late, pulling out to set points at 24-22, but EMU wouldn't go down, picking up a kill from Ward and an error, to tie things at 24. The teams once again traded points, all the way to 27-all, before the Royals won out with an error and a Ward kill.

Set Two
Set two was just like the first, with neither team able to put together any long strings of scoring. Two Ward kills and a McGhee ace helped the Royals out to a 5-2 lead but St. Andrews tied things up and the teams went back and forth, before a 7-2 Royals tilt gave them some breathing room. But the Knights fought back and eventually took a lead and, just like the first set, were serving for the set at 24-23. But just like the first set, EMU wasn't ready to call it a set as a kill from Spurlock tied things at 24. After a Knights kill once again gave them set point, EMU scored three straight, with a kill from AJ Bagby putting the finishing touches on the 2-0 lead.

Set Three
The third set once again started close, with St. Andrews taking an early 5-2 lead. But the Royals rallied with an 11-5 tilt to take a two-point lead. After the Knights pulled within one, EMU gave themselves some breathing room with a 10-2 run, highlighted by three blocks and a kill from David Ward, a Spurlock kill, a Childers ace and a Bagby kill, for a 21-12 lead. With the Royals leading 24-16, St. Andrews tried to make it interesting, scoring three straight and cutting their deficit to six, but Oaks finished off the match with a kill for the win.

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Ward (12), Spurlock (10)
Assists: Oaks (30)
Digs: McGhee (11)
Blocks: Ward (7), Spurlock (5)

What's Next
EMU will wrap up the VWU Tournament on Saturday when they take on the host Marlins at 10 am before finishing up with Barton College at noon.  

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