LYNCHBURG, Va. - With just a week left in its 2026 regular season, EMU hit the road on Saturday, heading to Lynchburg for a matchup at Randolph College. 

It was a tightly contested match, with two of the three sets going to extra points, but ultimately it was the WildCats picking up the 3-0 (29-27, 25-14, 29-27) win over EMU. 

Records: EMU 11-15, 6-8 ODAC | Randolph 16-10, 8-6 ODAC

Highlights

Set One: Randolph 29, EMU 27

• Kills from Ezekiel Awkward and Jose Melendez, along with a Melendez/Daeman Odom block, put EMU up 6-4 through the first 10 points of the match. Randolph then won six of the next eight points, taking a 10-8 lead. 
• The teams traded points to 13-12, before the WildCats used a 3-0 run to give themselves some cushion. Randolph would continue to lead, getting to 20-16, until EMU rallied with a 5-1 tilt, with two kills from Odom and one apiece from Awkward and Derek Diaz, tying things at 21. 
• Randolph won the next three points, taking a 24-22 lead and getting to set point. EMU kept fighting and took a 25-24 lead, highlighted by kills from Odom and Johnathan Badowski. Each team took a turn winning two points, as EMU once again got to set point, 27-26. But Randolph was able to reel off the next three points, using three straight kills, to take a 1-0 lead. 

Set Two: Randolph 25, EMU 14

• Randolph pulled ahead 9-1 to start set two, and was able to extend their lead to as many as nine, 11-2. 
• The teams traded points to 15-7, before Randolph won the next two, taking a 17-7 lead. EMU was able to cut their deficit to eight after an error and a kill from Bennett Barco, but the WildCats responded in kind, winning five of the final seven points to take the set, and a 2-0 match lead.

Set Three: Randolph 29, EMU 27

• This time it was EMU pulling out to the early lead, taking a 7-2 advantage after two kills from Barco and a Melendez/Odom block. 
• Anytime Randolph seemed to chip away at EMU's lead, the Royals would snatch the momentum back, and would eventually lead 15-11 after an Odom kill and a block from Melendez and Diaz. EMU pulled ahead by five, 19-14, before Randolph won four of the next five points to pull within two. 
• Barco and Pierce Donnelly pushed EMU ahead 23-18 before a 6-1 Randolph run tied things at 24, sending the set to extra points once again. EMU got to set point twice, 25-24 and 26-25 after kills from Diaz. But the WildCats would end things on a 4-1 run, picking up the sweep over EMU. 

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Diaz (9), Odom (7)
Assists: Ricky Fernandez (19), Gael Bravo (11)
Digs: Diaz (12), Sebastian Clemente (11)
Blocks: Melendez (3)

What's Next 
EMU will wrap up its 2026 road slate on Wednesday, when they head to Salem for an ODAC match against Roanoke College. First serve against the Maroons is set for 7:00 pm. 

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