SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - EMU wrapped up their Midwest road trip on Saturday, with a pair of neutral site matches in the Springfield MVB Showcase. 

In the day's opener, the Royals used a career-high 23 kills from Andre Mills to pick up a 3-1 (25-16, 25-14, 22-25, 25-21) win over Wisconsin Lutheran. In the afternoon finale, EMU dropped a heartbreaker, 3-2 (25-20, 33-31, 23-25, 22-25, 15-12) to Illinois Tech. 

EMU vs Wisconsin Lutheran

Records: EMU 6-5, 3-0 ODAC | Wisconsin Lutheran 3-7, 0-0 NACC

Highlights

Set One - EMU 25, Wisc. Lutheran 16

• The Royals jumped out to a 4-1 lead with two points from Ezekiel Awkward and a kill from Jose Melendez. The teams swapped points to 6-5 before EMU gave themselves some breathing room with a 12-2 tilt. 
• With EMU leading 18-7, the teams traded points to 20-10. The Warriors tried to make the set interesting with a 5-1 run, pulling within eight at 23-15. But EMU closed things out, winning two of the last three points, with kills from Melendez for a 1-0 lead. 

Set Two - EMU 25, Wisc. Lutheran 14

• Set two started out tight, with WLC taking a 6-5 lead. EMU pounced right after that, going on a 9-1 run, highlighted by two kills from Mills, one from Awkward and a block from Melendez and Mills, for a 14-7 lead. 
• After the Warriors sandwiched an Awkward kill with a pair of points, EMU continued to pour it on with a 5-1 run, giving themselves a 10-point lead. 
• WLC was able to cut the lead back to single digits, 22-13, before the Royals finished things up by winning three of the final four points, as a Melendez kill, a Ricardo Fernandez Perez ace and an attack error put them ahead 2-0. 

Set Three - Wisc. Lutheran 25, EMU 22

• Three more kills from Mills and an error put EMU on top 4-1 to start the third. The Warriors tied things at four and five, and then EMU took a lead with an error and a kill from Bennett de Tenley.
• WLC then pulled ahead with a 7-1 run, leading 12-8. EMU answered with a 5-1 tilt, picking up two kills from Awkward and one each from Mills and James Powell, to tie things at 13. The Warriors went on another run, this time 6-2 to give themselves some cushion, 19-15. 
• The Royals were able to chip away at the lead, getting it down to two at 20-18, but Wisconsin Lutheran pulled right back in front and moved to set point, 24-20. A Mills kill and an Awkward ace forced a Warrior timeout and out of the break, WLC forced a fourth set with a kill. 

Set Four - EMU 25, Wisc. Lutheran 21

• EMU came out firing to start the third, pulling in front 6-2 with three kills from Mills and a Mills/Melendez block. WLC was able to claw back in and tie things at seven and eight, and take a 9-8 lead.
• There were multiple lead changes over the next few points, with EMU leading 11-9 and WLC leading 12-11. The teams traded points and WLC maintained a one-point lead late, at 20-19. 
• A 5-0 EMU run, highlighted by kills from Mills and Awkward propelled the Royals to match point, which was staved off by a service error. But that was only a momentary respite as Awkward slammed down his 14th kill of the match to secure the EMU win. 

Statistical Leaders
Mills: 23 kills, 8 digs, 4 blocks
Fernandez Perez: 41 assists, 9 digs, 1 ace
Rey De La Cruz: 10 digs, 5 assists
Awkward: 14 kills, 5 digs, 4 aces

EMU vs Illinois Tech

Records: EMU 6-6, 3-0 ODAC | Illinois Tech 2-6, 0-1 NACC

Highlights

Set One - Illinois Tech 25, EMU 20

• The teams swapped points, and Illinois Tech taking an 8-6 lead through the first 14 points. EMU rallied with a 6-0 run, taking a 12-8 lead after three kills from Mills and two from Daeman Odom. 
• After another Mills kill put EMU on top 14-12, the Scarlet Hawks pushed in front with a 10-3 run. EMU picked up three more points from an IIT error, a de Tenley kill and a Mills/Odom block, but two kills gave the Scarlet Hawks a 1-0 lead. 

Set Two - Illinois Tech 33, EMU 31

• The second set was a marathon that started out with the Royals ahead 6-3, after kills from Odom, Mills and Awkward. 
• Neither team was able to pull ahead by more than three until late in the set, as IIT took an 18-14 lead. It looked like the Scarlet Hawks was going to run away with it, taking a 22-19 lead late. Kills from Awkward and Mills pulled EMU within two, but Illinois Tech moved to set point with back-to-back kills. 
• EMU stormed back with four straight points, using a pair of blocks and an Odom kill, to take a 25-24 advantage. The teams swapped points all the way to EMU leading 31-30, but the Scarlet Hawks were able to forge ahead and win the final three points for a 2-0 lead. 

Set Three - EMU 25, Illinois Tech 23

• The set had multiple lead changes and ties, with ties at 10 and 11 midway through the set. EMU pushed ahead with a 3-0 run, after an error, an Odom block and a Mills kill. 
• The Scarlet Hawks tied things once again, but EMU had an answer yet again, with Odom and Powell providing the offense for an 18-15 lead. IIT stormed back and took a 21-19 lead late in the set, but EMU continued to fight, eventually tying things at 21 and 22, and taking a  23-22 lead. 
• After IIT tied things at 23, EMU forced a fourth set with back to back kills. 

Set Four - EMU 25, Illinois Tech 22

• The Royals raced out to a 5-3 lead to start the fourth, and would maintain the lead until IIT tied things at 12 apiece, and later took a 14-13 lead.  
• The teams traded punches to 18-18, before EMU reeled off a 5-2 run, picking up kills from Awkward, Odom and Melendez, for a 23-20 lead. 
• With EMU leading 23-21, an Odom/Awkward block and a Melendez kill picked up the set win and sent the match to a fifth and final frame. 

Set Five - Illinois Tech 15, EMU 12

• An Odom block and kill, along with a Melendez/Powell/Derek Diaz block, put the Royals on top 5-3 to start the fourth. IIT surged ahead with a 5-0 run, taking an 8-5 lead. 
• EMU answered IIT's run with one of their own, 4-1, using two kills from Powell and one from Awkward to tie things at nine. After things were tied again at 10, IIT used a 4-1 run to pull within one of the match. A Melendez kill cut the Scarlet Hawk's lead to two, but a kill from Illinois Tech gave them the tight 3-2 win. 

Statistical Leaders
Mills: 18 kills, 1 ace, 6 digs, 4 blocks
Fernandez Perez: 56 assists (career high), 12 digs
Awkward: 15 kills (career high), 6 blocks, 12 digs
Powell, Odom: 12 kills apiece (career highs)

What's Next
EMU will be back in ODAC play on Wednesday when they travel down to Virginia Beach to take on Virginia Wesleyan. First serve against the Marlins is set for 6 pm. 

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