HARRISONBURG, Va. - Before we recap the match, we'll give you a second to catch your breath from the excitement...Okay, there we go.

The men's volleyball Royals returned to the court on Friday night, looking to celebrate their seniors while also picking up a big CVC win: check and check. EMU jumped out to a 2-0 lead, Kean stormed back to tie the match, before EMU rallied to pull out the win in the fifth set for a 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 26-28, 22-25, 15-11) victory.

Records: EMU 14-11, 3-3 CVC | Kean 12-11, 0-4 CVC

Highlights

Set One
Kean pulled ahead 3-0 to start the first set before the Royals went on a 4-0 run of their own, picking up kills from David Ward and Nate McGhee. The teams traded points and eventually Kean took a 16-14 lead, but EMU came back with another 4-0 tilt, this time with a big block from Walter Spurlock, Ben Childers and Ward, and a Ward ace, for an 18-16 lead. KU kept EMU in sight, trailing by one at 20-19, but EMU gave themselves some breathing room with three straight from a Ward kill and back-to-back blocks, one from AJ Bagby and one from Ward and Bagby. Kills from McGhee and Bagby ended the set for a 1-0 EMU lead. 

Set Two
Set two started out much the same as set one, with Kean taking an early lead. They were able to push their lead to 6-3 before the Royals tied things with a kill from Childers and a Spurlock ace. Kean pulled back out in front and continued to lead, extending it to as many as four, at 17-13. EMU answered with kills from Bagby and Oaks, along with a Cougar error, to cut their deficit to one, but Kean once again went on a run, this time 3-0, to push ahead again, 20-16. EMU scored the next four points to tie things at 20 and the teams traded points until Kean had set point at 24-23. EMU won the next three points with two Cougar errors and a Spurlock kill for the 2-0 lead. 

Set Three
This time it was EMU jumping out to the lead, taking a 7-3 advantage early in set three. A pair of Royals errors later tied things at nine, but two Kean errors and a block from Childers and McGhee pushed EMU back into the lead. Neither team was able to take momentum, as they traded points all the way to 24-24. After a Cougar kill gave them set point, EMU used an error and a Ward/Jose Melendez block to move to match point, 26-25. But an error, a kill and a block from the Cougars gave them the set and made the match 2-1. 

Set Four
Kean started on top 6-4 before an error and kills from Spurlock and Bagby put EMU ahead by one. The lead went back-and-forth until, with things tied at 17, EMU went on a 5-1 run with kills from McGhee and Ward, an ace from Oaks and a Melendez/McGhee block, for a 22-18 lead. It looked like EMU would finishing the match in four, but Kean won the next seven points to take the set and force a fifth and final frame. 

Set Five
The teams traded points to start the fifth set, with Kean taking a one-point lead at 5-4. EMU then rallied for a 3-0 run, taking advantage of a Cougar error, a Childers kill and a Melendez ace, for a 7-4 lead. Later, with EMU leading 9-6, Kean won four straight points to pull ahead 10-9 and steal the momentum. Two kills from Ward put EMU ahead 11-10, before Kean tied things with a kill of their own. The Royals, however, were eager to get to the senior festivities, as they won the final four points, with Childers, Spurlock and a Cougar error giving EMU match point, and Ward slamming his 20th kill of the night for the match's final point. 

Statistical Leaders
Ward: 20 kills, 6 blocks, 10 digs
Oaks: 52 assists, 2 aces, 15 digs
Rey De La Cruz: 32 digs, 2 assists
Spurlock: 10 kills, 10 digs

What's Next
EMU will be right back in action on Saturday as they welcome in the Scarlet Raiders of Rutgets-Newark. First serve is set for 12:30 pm. 

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