SPRINGFIELD, OHIO – The Royals kicked off the 2026 season on Friday, heading to Ohio for the Jim Coleman Memorial Invitational, hosted by Wittenberg.

In the day's opener, host Wittenberg picked up a 3-1 (22-25, 25-11, 25-16, 25-13) win over the Royals. In the 5 pm game, after trailing 2-1, EMU forced a fifth set, but ultimately fell 3-2 (24-26, 25-20, 27-25, 19-25, 16-14).

EMU at Wittenberg

Records: EMU 0-1, 0-0 ODAC | Wittenberg 1-0, 0-0 MCVL

Set One: EMU 25, Wittenberg 22

• Ezekiel Awkward got things started for EMU, picking up a kill on the match's opening point. WC took a 5-2 lead before two errors and a Daeman Odom kill tied things at five.
• The teams traded points to 10-10 before the Royals reeled off three straight, highlighted by a kill from James Powell, to take a 13-10 lead.
• Later in the set, with EMU holding a slim 18-16 lead, the Royals gave themselves some cushion with a 3-0 run with back-to-back blocks from James Powell and Jose Melendez, and Powell on a solo block, for a 21-16 advantage. With EMU leading 22-17, after a Tiger timeout, WC made things interesting with a 5-2 run to pull within two. But an attack error gave EMU a 1-0 match lead.

Set Two: Wittenberg 25, EMU 11

• This time it was Derek Diaz that started things for EMU, before an Awkward kill sandwiched a Tiger point for a 2-1 Royals lead.
• After another Diaz kill and an Odom block kept the Royals in front, Wittenberg went on an 18-4 run to take a big lead. The Royals were only able to pick up two more points, kills from Melendez and Awkward, as Wittenberg tied the match at one apiece.

Set Three: Wittenberg 25, EMU 16

• Three errors put the Royals ahead early, but the Tigers came roaring back with a 12-5 tilt, with Odom and Melendez picking up kills.
• After a Wittenberg service error, the Tigers won three of the next four points to extend their lead to 17-10. The Royals would continue to fight, picking up six points with kills from Joel Chamberlain, Gael Bravo and Powell. But WC was able to take a 2-1 match lead after an EMU service error finished off the set.

Set Four: Wittenberg 25, EMU 13

• This time it was Wittenberg jumping out to the early lead, as they took a 5-2 advantage, as EMU picked up a pair of kills from Odom. A few points later, with WC leading 7-3, EMU won the next points off back-to-back kills from Pierce Donnelly, to pull within two.
• The Tigers broke the set open, going on a 7-0 run and extending their lead to nine, before three straight points from the Royals: a service error, an Odom/Chamberlain block and a Powell ace, to cut Wittenberg's lead to 14-8.
• After a 7-1 tilt gave WC a 21-9 lead, EMU won four of the next six points, including kills from Diaz and Johnathan Badowski, to pull within 10. However, the Tigers finished out the set, and the match, with an EMU service error and a kill, to secure the win.

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Diaz (5), Melendez and Odom (4)
Assists: Ricky Fernandez (9)
Digs: Diaz (5)
Total Blocks: Odom (3)

EMU vs Thiel

Records: EMU 0-2, 0-0 ODAC | Thiel 1-0, 0-0 PAC

Highlights

Set One: EMU 26, Thiel 24

• EMU pulled out to a 3-0 lead to open the match, using an error and two kills from Awkward, to take the lead. Later, an ace from Powell and a kill from Melendez put the Royals on top 6-2.
• EMU would continue to hold a lead until, with the Royals ahead 16-14, the Tomcats went on a 4-0 run to pull ahead for the first time in the set. EMU rallied right back, winning three of the next four points to tie things at 19.
• Thiel would re-take the lead, and get to set point at 24-22, but EMU fought back and won the next four points, using a trio of Tomcat errors and an Awkward kill, to take a 1-0 lead.

Set Two: Thiel 25, EMU 20

• EMU took an early timeout in set two, after Thiel jumped out to a 4-1 lead. Out of the break, EMU would go on a 5-1 run, with two kills from Donnelly, to take a 6-5 lead.
• The teams would swap points to EMU leading 12-11, before Thiel went on an 10-4 run to lead 21-16.
• The Royals would pick up four more points in the set, with three errors and a Melendez kill, but Thiel would finish things out with an EMU service error, to tie things at one apiece.

Set Three: Thiel 27, EMU 25

• Diaz continued his hot start to the weekend with a kill to lead off the third. EMU would hold onto a one to two-point lead until the Tomcats went on an 8-4 run to lead 14-11.
• EMU tied things at 16 and a Thiel error gave the Royals a one-point advantage. The score was tied at 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25, but the Tomcats took the set with back-to-back kills for a 2-1 match lead.

Set Four: EMU 25, Thiel 19

• With the Royals holding a two-point lead to start the fourth, they went on a 3-0 tilt with an error and two kills from Chamberlain, to give themselves some breathing room at 9-4. 
• They would continue to hold a lead, despite Thiel doing their best to chip away at it, making it 13-12 at the 25-point mark. But EMU responded with four straight and six of the next seven points for a 19-13 lead. 
• The Tomcats answered with four of the next five, cutting EMU's lead to three, but EMU didn't blink, winning five of the next seven points, including two kills from Odom and one from Diaz, to force a fifth and final frame. 

Set Five: Thiel 16, EMU 14

• EMU used kills from Diaz and Donnelly, along with two Tomcat errors, to pull out to a 4-1 lead to start the fifth. Thiel eventually tied things at five and the teams traded blows until late, with EMU leading 11-8 after a kill from Bennett de Tenley. 
• Thiel showed why they won 22 matches last year, however, clawing back to tie the match at 11, and trading points to 13-12, EMU. Thiel then won the next two points to get to match point, before a service error sent the match to extras. In the extra points, Thiel used back-to-back kills to wrap up the set, and the five-set win. 

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Diaz (12), Melendez (10)
Assists: Fernandez (29)
Digs: Fernandez (13)
Blocks: Odom (7), de Tenley (4)

What's Next
EMU won't have much time to dwell on these matches, as they're right back in action on Saturday for day two of the Jim Coleman Invitational. They'll take on Westminster at 11:00 am before finishing the weekend against Marian at 2:30 pm. 

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