FREDERICK, MD. -  The EMU Men's Volleyball Royals wrapped up their regular season by traveling Hood College for a tri-match on Saturday. The Royals will enter postseason play momentum, winning both of their matches in straight sets.  With the wins, EMU finished their regular season slate with an even .500 record.

EMU vs Immaculata University

Records: EMU 14-15, 8-4 ODAC | Immaculata 6-12

Highlights

Set One – EMU 25, Immaculata 10

•  The Mighty Macs started fast, jumping out to a 5-1 lead, but the Royals responded with an even bigger run. Taking advantage of an Immaculta service error to get the side out, EMU scored the next nine points to go up 10-5. Ezekiel Awkward contributed three kills to the rally, and James Powell capped the streak with a service ace.
• After one Immaculata point to make it 10-6, the Royals pulled away from the Mighty Macs with seven more unanswered points. Awkward, Andre Mills, and Daeman Odam had a kill each during the run.
• EMU cruised the set one win from there, clinching the set by capitalizing on an Immaculata attack error.

Set Two – EMU 25, Immaculata 15

• The second set started out evenly, with the teams getting out to a 5-5 tie.
• With the set score at 7-6 Immaculata, EMU made their move with five straight points. Powell tallied two kills during the run, along with a kill each for Mills and Sebastian Clemente.
• The Mighty Macs got no closer than two points the rest of the set as the Royals pulled awy for a commanding two sets to none lead.

Set Three – EMU 25, Immaculata 15

• Like the second set, the Mighty Macs kept it close at with a 3-3 tie. The Royals took the lead for good immediately after that with a 4-0 run, taking advantage of a variety of Immaculata errors.
• Diego Morales Torres put the cherry on top of a dominant EMU performance with a kill for the match-clinching point.

Statistical Leaders
Powell: 7 kills, 2 service aces, 3 block assists
Odom: 7 kills, .583 hit percentage

EMU vs. Hood College

Records: EMU 15-15, 8-4 ODAC | Hood 6-23, 0-8 MAC

Highlights

Set One - EMU 25, Hood 17

• The Royals roared out of the gates, scoring the first six points of the opening set. Powell set the tone with two service aces during the rally.
• Hood got back on track to stay within arm's rally. At 11-7, Powell got a kill for the side out, followed by ace from Ricardo Fernandez Perez and two Blazer errors to put the Royals up 15-7.
• The Blazers drew within four again at 15-11, but the Royals again had an answer with a Powell and a Clemente ace.
• EMU slowly edged away from Hood from there, with a Mills kill clinching the opening set.

 
Set Two – EMU 25, Hood 13

• Just like set one, EMU accelerated to a quick start, scoring four of the first five points. Awkward tallied two service aces during the early run.
• Hood got within one at 4-3, but the Royals countered with four straight points to go up 8-3. Clemente collected two kills, along with one each from Mills and Odom.
• The Blazers never got closer than six points the rest of the set, and EMU capped it off with a 5-0 run. Bennett de Tenley accounted for the set-clinching kill.

 
Set Three – EMU 25, Hood 14

• EMU set the tone immediately in set three, quickly going up 7-2. Mills had back-to-back services aces ton help the Royals take control of the third set.
• Hood closed to within three at 10-7, but the Royals put the set—and the match—out of reach seven unanswered points to go up 17-7. Fernandez Perez got two service aces during the run.
• Joel Chamberlain capped the match with back-to-back kills to seal the deal for EMU.

 
Statistical Leaders
Odom: 10 kills, 2 service aces, 2 block assists
Mills: 8 kills, 2 service aces, 1 block assist
Diego Morales Torres: 19 assists

What's Next
EMU Men's Volleyball will turn their attention to the inaugural ODAC Men's Volleyball Tournament. The Royals are the #3 seed, and they will play at #2 seed Roanoke College in the ODAC Semifinals on Wednesday, April 9. First serve of the semifinal match is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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