LYNCHBURG, Va. - After a thrilling win over Roanoke on Wednesday, EMU looked to stay in the win column with a trip to Lynchburg. 

It took a set longer than the Royals hoped, but EMU was able to sweep the season series with Lynchburg, picking up a 3-1 (25-21, 25-13, 24-26, 25-15) road win. 

Records: EMU 11-12, 7-2 ODAC | Lynchburg 9-11, 2-7 ODAC

Highlights

Set One - EMU 25, Lynchburg 21

• EMU started out on top 6-2 in the opening set, using kills from Andre Mills and Ezekiel Awkward, along with a Ricardo Fernandez Perez ace. Lynchburg was able to chip away at the Royals lead, and eventually pulled within one, 11-10. 
• Later in the set, Lynchburg tied things at 13, but the Royals responded with two points off a Hornet error and a Mills kill. The teams traded points, and Lynchburg was able to cut EMU's lead back to one once again, at 18-17 and 19-18. But a Lynchburg error and a Daeman Odom kill gave the Royals come cushion, which was all they needed with a Mills kill and a block from Derek Diaz and Odom, finishing off the set and putting the Royals up 1-0. 

Set Two - EMU 25, Lynchburg 13

• This time EMU started out on top 4-1 as a pair of errors and kills from Mills and Awkward put EMU ahead early. The teams went back-and-forth to 6-5 EMU, before the Royals went on a 14-3 run, with Diaz and Awkward each picking up two kills, Mills, Jose Melendez and Samuel Gomez adding service aces and EMU coming up with a pair of blocks, to take a commanding 20-8 advantage. 
• Lynchburg was able to tack on five more points to their total, but EMU finished out the big set win with two kills from Melendez and one each from Mills and Bennett de Tenley, to take a 2-0 match lead. 

Set Three - Lynchburg 26, EMU 24

• The Royals jumped out to an 11-8 lead to start the third set, as Awkward, Odom, Mills and Melendez each chipped in a kill, Melendez had a service ace and Odom picked up a solo block. 
• EMU and Lynchburg traded blows to EMU leading 15-11, before the Hornets pulled within one with a 3-0 tilt. The Royals would continue to lead, and, at 20-17, it looked like they were in position for the sweep. But the Hornets continued to fight, and pulled ahead with a 5-0 run, leading 22-20, forcing an EMU timeout. 
• Out of the break, Lynchburg took a 24-21 lead, and EMU called its last timeout. This time, out of the break, EMU reeled off three straight points, kills from Melendez and Awkward, along with a Fernandez Perez ace, to tie things at 24 and send the set to extra points. But unfortunately for EMU, Lynchburg used a Royals service error and a kill to win the set. 

Set Four - EMU 25, Lynchburg 15

• The fourth set started out tight, with a tied set at 8-8. EMU then gave themselves some breathing room with an 11-3 run, highlighted by two kills from Awkward, blocks from Melendez, Mills and Awkward and another ace from Fernandez Perez. 
• Lynchburg tried to make a set of it, using a 3-1 run late to pull within seven, 22-15. But the Royals were ready to hit the road, winning the final three points, including another Fernandez Perez ace and a block from Mills and Melendez, to put the finishing touches on their seventh ODAC win. 

Statistical Leaders
Mills: 16 kills, 3 aces, 2 blocks
Awkward: 13 kills (.417 hit pct.), 2 blocks
Fernandez Perez: 37 assists, 4 aces, 2 blocks, 7 digs
Melendez: 8 kills, 2 aces, 5 blocks

What's Next
EMU will be in Arlington next Saturday, for a tough Saturday tri-match. They'll start the day off with #7 Vassar before finishing the day with former CVC foe, Marymount. First serve against Vassar is set for 2:30 pm. 

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