SALEM, Va. – After playing their last five at home, the Royals hit the road on Wednesday night, for a midweek CVC matchup at Roanoke.
The match was tightly contested, but it was the Royals picking up the win, taking down RC 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-22).
Records: EMU 10-8, 1-2 CVC | Roanoke 9-8, 0-2 CVC
Highlights
Set One
The Maroons jumped out to a 5-1 lead, with a kill from
Nate McGhee being EMU's only point to start. The two teams traded points, with RC keeping the lead, until with Roanoke leading 13-10, EMU went on a 7-3 run, with kills from
Walter Spurlock and
Jose Melendez, along with a block from Melendez and McGhee, to take a 17-16 lead. Roanoke battled back and took a 19-18 lead, but EMU responded once again, this time closing out the set with seven straight points off kills from McGhee and Ward as well as a block from Childers and McGhee, for a 1-0 lead.
With Ward's second kill of the set, he reached 500 career kills in his career.
Set Two
This time it was EMU starting out on top, 3-2, after kills from Ward and Spurlock and a block from Melendez and Spurlock. The teams continued to trade points, with neither able to grab much momentum over the next 20 points. But, with RC leading 14-12, EMU went on a 6-1 run with two kills from McGhee and one each from Ward and Childers, to grab an 18-15 advantage. The Maroons used an error and a kill to pull within one, but the Royals rallied with five of six for a 23-18 lead. Roanoke picked up a pair of kills to get to 20, but a big kill from Spurlock gave EMU the win and a 2-0 lead.
Like Ward, Oaks hit a milestone, picking up his 1500th career assist with his 15th of the match in the second set.
Set Three
An ace, error and kill put Roanoke up 3-0 to start the third set before an error and a block from Childers and McGhee, pulled EMU within two. Later, a 3-0 run from EMU, highlighted by kills from Ward and Melendez and a block from Ward and Childers, put the Royals ahead 5-4. The teams would trade points to Roanoke leading 9-7, but EMU went on a 10-2 run, picking up three kills from McGhee and one apiece from Childers, Ward and Spurlock, for a 17-11 advantage. EMU would lead 20-14 before Roanoke pulled within three. The Royals then got to match point, leading 24-20, but RC wouldn't go down without a fight, using a kill and an error to cut their deficit to two. The match ended on a Maroon ball handling error, giving the Royals the midweek sweep.
Statistical Leaders
Ward: 11 kills, 6 digs, 1 block
Oaks: 31 assists, 7 digs, 1 ace, 1 block
McGhee: 9 kills, 9 digs, 3 blocks
What's Next
EMU will return home for a tri-match on Saturday, taking on Carolina University at 1 pm before finishing up the day with Stevenson at 5 pm.
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