SALEM, Va. – The Royals headed south to Salem, taking on Roanoke College in the semifinals of the inaugural ODAC MVB Tournament.  

The Royals battled to the end, but it wasn't to be as the Maroons picked up a 3-0 (25-12, 26-24, 25-15) sweep of EMU.

Records: EMU 15-16, 8-4 ODAC | Roanoke College 22-11, 8-4 ODAC

Highlights

Set One – Roanoke 25, EMU 12

• Roanoke started out strong offensively, taking a 7-1 lead early on and forcing an EMU timeout. Out of the break, EMU went on a 7-3 run, using two kills from Sebastian Clemente and a big block from Daeman Odom and Andre Mills, to pull within two, 10-8.
• After EMU pulled within two, Roanoke was able to extend their lead to six with a 5-1 run, causing the Royals to take their second timeout trailing 15-9.
• The Maroons were able to pick up the set win, using a 10-3 run, as EMU could only pick up kills from Odom and Ezekiel Awkward.

Set Two – Roanoke 26, EMU 24

• The Royals started on top in set two, taking a 6-4 lead with two kills from Mills and a block from Clemente and Odom. Roanoke then pulled ahead with a 5-0 run, before EMU picked up three straight with an error and kills from Mills and Odom, to tie things at nine.
• Later in the set, with RC leading 12-11, EMU reeled off a 3-0 run with two kills from Mills and one from Awkward, for a 14-12 lead. The teams traded points to 16-16, before EMU went on a 5-2 run, picking up kills from Mills, Clemente and Awkward, and an Odom block, for a 20-18 lead.
• A Roanoke kill pulled the Maroons within one, but an attack error and an Awkward kill pushed EMU's lead back to three and forced a Roanoke time out. Out of the time out, EMU was able to get to set point, leading 24-21, but a kill and attack error cut the Royals lead to one and caused the Royals to take a TO. Unfortunately for EMU, the Maroons were able to pick up the set win, using an ace and back-to-back blocks to take a 2-0 lead.

Set Three – Roanoke 25, EMU 15

• Roanoke started out ahead 3-0 before EMU used two kills from Mills and one from Clemente, to go on a 3-1 run and pull within one, 4-3. Roanoke would steal all the momentum, extending their lead to eight with an 11-4 run and a 15-7 lead.
• EMU went on a 4-1 run, picking up kills from Odom, James Powell and Awkward to cut Roanoke's lead to 16-11, but the Maroons got their points back with a 4-0 tilt and a 20-12 lead.
• EMU was able to pick up four more points, with two of them coming on kills from Powell and Jamaury Starks, but Roanoke finished out the set, and the match, with back-to-back kills.

Statistical Leaders
Mills: 9 kills, 1 ace, 1 block, 5 digs
Awkward: 8 kills, 1 ace, 6 digs
Ricardo Fernandez Perez: 23 assists

What's Next
This is the final match for the Royals 2025 season, but they'll return a large portion of this year's squad, graduating just one senior. 

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