HARRISONBURG, Va. (EMU Athletics) – The EMU Men’s Volleyball team returned home on Wednesday, for a midweek ODAC matchup against Randolph College.
It was a tightly contested matchup, but unfortunately for EMU, the WildCats made just a few more plays, as Randolph picked up a 3-2 (21-25, 25-17, 25-21, 17-25, 15-11) win over EMU.
Records: EMU 8-9, 4-2 ODAC | Randolph 11-7, 3-4 ODAC
Highlights
Set One: EMU 25, Randolph 17
• Kills from James Powell and Jose Melendez, along with an Ezekiel Awkward block, gave EMU the first three points of the match. The teams would swap points to 6-6 before Randolph used a 3-2 run to take a 9-8 lead.
• A service error and another Awkward block put the Royals ahead by one and, once again, the teams traded points to 17-all.
• EMU was able to take a two-point lead with a 4-2 tilt, using kills from Melendez, Awkward and Derek Diaz, to lead 21-19. After a WildCat kill, EMU extended their lead with another Melendez kill and a Powell service ace. Randolph picked up another kill to pull within two, but EMU finished things out with a Melendez kill and a Jonas Stafford ace, for a 1-0 lead.
Set Two: Randolph 25, EMU 17
• Neither team could grab any momentum to start the second set until, with EMU leading 8-7, a call went in favor of the Royals and it looked like they would pull ahead by two. But after a lengthy referee discussion, the call was overturned, giving the point to Randolph and tying things at eight apiece. That turned the tide for the set, as Randolph would then go on an 11-4 run to take an 18-12 lead and force an EMU timeout.
• Out of the break, EMU tried to claw back into the set, winning three of the next five points, including kills from Diaz and Powell. But RC was able to finish things with a 5-2 tilt, and tied the match at one set apiece through two.
Set Three: Randolph 25, EMU 21
• The Royals started ahead 7-4 in the third, with Powell, Diaz, Melendez and Daeman Odom leading the way. The teams traded points to 10-8 before kills from Diaz and Melendez gave EMU a four-point lead, 12-8.
• Two points from Randolph was followed by two from EMU, as the Royals maintained their four-point lead. Randolph then went on a 13-3 run over the next 16 points, with Melendez and Odom picking up the lone kills for the Royals. EMU won four of the next five points, including three kills from Powell, to pull within three, but an EMU service error gave the WildCats the lead in the match.
Set Four: EMU 25, Randolph 17
• Tied at two to kick off the third, both teams swapped a 3-0 run to tie the s*et at five. EMU would then break things open with a 13-4 run, as Awkward (3), Melendez (2), Powell (2) and Odom (1) combined for eight kills, along with an ace from Odom, for an 18-9 lead.
• Randolph was able to chip away at EMU’s lead with an 8-5 tilt before an Awkward kill, his sixth of the set, forced a WildCat timeout. After the break, EMU squashed any chance of a comeback as Melendez slammed home a kill to send the match to a fifth and final frame.
Set Five: Randolph 15, EMU 11
• Randolph took a 2-0 lead to start the fifth before Diaz and Melendez kills tied things at two apiece. A few points later, with Randolph leading by one, another Melendez kill and a service error, put EMU ahead by one, 5-4.
• RC surged ahead with a 3-1 run to the media timeout. The teams swapped points to the WildCats leading 10-8, as EMU took a timeout to try to slow down Randolph’s momentum. It didn’t work as out of the break, Randolph won the next two points for a 12-8 lead.
• Awkward’s kill and a WildCat error pulled EMU within two, 12-10, but EMU would only pick up one more points in the final four, as Randolph secured the win.
Statistical Leaders
Kills: Melendez (19 – career high), Powell (12), Diaz (10)
Assists: Ricky Fernandez (41)
Digs: Fernandez (13), Awkward (8)
Blocks: Awkward (3), Powell and Odom (2)
What’s Next
EMU is back in action on Saturday for a tri-match. They’ll take on Roanoke College in a big ODAC matchup at 1:00 pm before finishing off the day with Marymount at 5:00 pm.
— EMU Athletics —
