HARRISONBURG, Va. - EMU MVB wrapped up the inaugural ODAC men's volleyball regular season on Wednesday, facing off against the WildCats of Randolph College.
It was a fitting end to a hard fought regular season, as it took the Royals five sets to down the WildCats...but that's exactly what they did, beating Randolph 3-2 (26-24, 25-27, 25-20, 23-25, 15-10).
Records: EMU 13-15, 8-4 ODAC | Randolph 11-15, 3-8 ODAC
Highlights
Set One - EMU 26, Randolph 24
- Neither team was able to grab any momentum to start the match, until a kill from James Powell and an Andre Mills ace, gave EMU an 8-6 lead.
- Randolph rallied for a 9-8 lead, but EMU grabbed the lead right back, pulling ahead 13-11 after an error and a Daeman Odom kill. Later in the set, Randolph was able to take a one-point lead, 18-17, before an Ezekiel Awkward kill tied things at 18.
- The teams swapped points, and it looked for a moment like Randolph would take the opening set, as they had set point at 24-23. But the Royals kept swinging, and pulled out the next three point, with two WildCat errors and a kill from Sebastian Clemente.
Set Two - Randolph 27, EMU 25
- Once again, things started out tit-for-tat to seven apiece, until Randolph reeled off four straight points for an 11-7 lead.
- Later in the set, with Randolph leading 16-9, EMU went on a 4-0 run, picking up a kill from Powell, an ace from Delan Wright and a block from Clemente and Wright, to cut Randolph's lead to three.
- The WildCats would pull back in front by five, 18-13, before EMU went on another run, this time 9-3, to take a 22-21 lead late. The teams swapped point, and EMU even got to set point after a kill from Clemente, but Randolph mirrored EMU's first set, winning the final three points for a 27-25 set win.
Set Three - EMU 25, Randolph 20
- Unlike the first two sets, the third didn't need extra points. A 3-0 run, highlighted by a kill from Jose Melendez, gave EMU a 9-5 lead early on. They would continue to hold onto their lead, until Randolph made it closer, 13-11, with a 3-0 run.
- EMU answered Randolph's run with one of their own, 4-1, using a Melendez/Mills block and kills from Mills and Clemente, to take a 17-12 lead.
- Late in the set, the WildCats would be able to pull within three, 22-19, but EMU finished things up by winning three of the next four points, to take a 2-1 match lead.
Set Four - Randolph 25, EMU 23
- Two WildCat errors and two blocks from Mills and Odom put EMU ahead 4-0 to start set four. Then, Randolph reeled off 10 of the next 12 points for a 10-6 lead.
- Randolph would extend their lead to as many as seven, 15-8, before EMU started to chip away. They would outscore the WildCats 10-4 to pull within one, 19-18.
- RC would continue to hold a lead, getting to set point at 24-21, before EMU once again cut their lead to one with an error and an Awkward kill. But Randolph forced a fifth set with a kill, winning the fourth.
Set Five - EMU 15, Randolph 10
- Randolph jumped out to a 5-3 lead in the final frame, before EMU went on a 5-1 run, highlighted by a Mills kill and four WildCat errors.
- Randolph tied things at eight, but EMU gave themselves some breathing room winning the next four points, with kills from Clemente and Awkward, and a big solo block from Odom, for a 12-8 lead. Randolph would pick up two more points, but EMU closed things out with kills from Joel Chamberlain and Awkward, to pick up the win.
Statistical Leaders
Awkward: 18 kills, 8 digs
Clemente: 15 kills, 9 digs, 2 blocks
Rey De La Cruz: 16 digs
Odom: 8 blocks
What's Next
EMU will wrap up the 2025 regular season on Saturday, when they head to Hood College for a tri match. They'll take on Immaculata at 1 pm before finishing the day with host Hood at 3 pm.
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