HARRISONBURG, Va. - EMU wrapped up the weekend on Saturday, with a pair of matches in the third annual EMU Royals Tournament. 

In EMU's first match of the day, the Royals picked up a clean sweep of Bethany College (25-23, 25-19, 25-22) before falling in the tournament finale to #5 SVU, 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-17). 

EMU vs Bethany College

Records: EMU 2-4, 0-0 ODAC | Bethany 0-5, 0-0 PAC

Highlights

Set One: EMU 25, Bethany 23

• Things were tied at four to start the match, before a 3-0 Royals run, highlighted by kills from Layne Kemp and Bennett Barco, gave EMU a three-point lead. Bethany tied the match once again, evening things at seven and eight, before the Royals once again pulled ahead, this time with a 7-1 run, highlighted by a pair of aces and kills Bennett de Tenley, Delan Wright and Barco. 
• BC kept fighting, and cut EMU's lead to one, but EMU won four of the next five points with two errors and a pair of aces from Gael Bravo Diego Morales Torres. 
• The Bison, trailing 22-18, were able to tie things at 23 with a 5-1 tilt. But EMU wouldn't be denied the set, with a kill from Wright and a block from Joel Chamberlain, Morales Torres and Kemp wrapping things up. 

Set Two: EMU 25, Bethany 19

• The Royals rolled with the same lineup in set two, and jumped out to a 7-3 lead to start with four kills, a block and an ace. 
• Later in the set, with things tied at seven, Bethany took a lead with a 5-4 run and then took a two point lead, 15-13. EMU answered with a 9-1 run and never looked back as they finished out the set with an attack error and a Wright kill. 

Set Three: EMU 25, Bethany 22

• This time it was an 8-3 start for EMU, with kills from Ricky Fernandez, Pierce Donnelly, James Powell and Derek Diaz, along with a pair of Powell aces. 
• Later in the set, Bethany had climbed back, tying things at 15. EMU won the next three points from Diaz and Daeman Odom and the teams swapped points to EMU leading 22-21. A block from Donnelly and Jose Melendez, and a Melendez kill, put EMU at match point. A Bison kill extended things by one point, but it wouldn't last long as Melendez finished things off to secure the sweep. 

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Wright, Barco (5)
Assists: Jonas Stafford (15), Fernandez (10)
Digs: Rey De La Cruz (7)

EMU vs #5 Southern Virginia

Records: EMU 2-5, 0-0 ODAC | SVU 8-0, 0-0 CVC

Highlights

Set One: SVU 25, EMU 14

• A Donnelly kill and an Odom ace gave the Royals an early 2-0 lead to start the match. A few points later, a Powell kill kept EMU in front, before SVU went on a 6-1 run to take the lead. 
• EMU pulled back within one with three straight points, including a solo block from Donnelly. Unfortunately, SVU flexed their muscles, ending the set on a 15-5 run, with EMU picking up kills from Donnelly, Diaz and Melendez, as they fell behind 1-0. 

Set Two: SVU 25, EMU 21

• This time it was SVU taking an early lead, pulling ahead 12-6 through the first 18 points. They pushed their lead to double-digits, 18-8, until EMU reeled off four straight points, including a Melendez kill and a Powell ace. 
• A couple points later, with SVU leading 20-13, EMU got the crowd got into it with a 4-0 run, highlighted by kills from Odom, Chamberlain and two from Ezekiel Awkward. SVU gave themselves some breathing room with two straight but kills from Awkward and Powell kept EMU in the hunt, until a final kill from the Knights gave them a 2-0 lead. 

Set Three: SVU 25, EMU 17

• EMU got on the board with a pair of SVU service errors and a kill from Awkward to start the third. After a Knight kill put SVU ahead 9-4, EMU called a timeout. Out of the break, Donnelly and Powell kills and an SVU error sandwiched a Knight kill, with Southern Virginia leading 10-7. 
• The teams traded blows, and back-to-back setting errors pulled the Royals within two, 13-11. Later in the set, EMU was once again able to pull back within two, 18-16 after an attack error and an Awkward kill. But SVU was able to shut down any type of rally, as they won seven of the next eight points to pick up the win. 

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Donnelly, Awkward (6)
Assists: Fernandez (10)
Digs: Awkward (6)

EMU is back on the court next Saturday, when they head to Owings Mills, Maryland for a tri-match with Neumann and Stevenson. First serve against Neumann is set for 4:00 pm.

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