Royals Down Roanoke in 2023 Finale

SALEM, Va. – The Royals men’s volleyball team wrapped up the 2023 season on Tuesday, and they went out with a bang.

Behind 16 kills from David Ward and a defense that tallied 22 blocks, the Royals took down Roanoke College 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-14, 25-21).

Records: EMU 11-14, 2-6 CVC | Roanoke College 7-17, 0-6 CVC

Highlights

• Behind kills from AJ Bagby, Walter Spurlock, David Ward, Nate McGhee and a block from Ward and Bagby, EMU jumped out to a 10-6 lead to start the first set. They continued to hold a slim lead to 15-13 before Roanoke went on a 3-0 run to take a 16-15 advantage. They were able to push push their lead to 19-17 before the Royals tied things with an error and a Spurlock/Bagby block. But RC answered with a 4-0 run before a Delan Wright kill pulled EMU back within three. But the Maroons picked up the final two points for the first set win.
• EMU trailed to start the second set, getting down by as many as six, 13-7 and 16-10. But the Royals never flinched as they scored six straight, highlighted by kills from Ben Childers and McGhee and a Ward/Childers block, to tie things up. The teams traded points to RC having a one-point lead, 19-18, before EMU reeled off six straight with kills from Ward and a Tyler Oaks/Childers block, to take a 24-19 lead. After an attack error made things 24-20, McGhee finished off the set with a kill, tying the match at one.
• It was all EMU in set two, as the Royals started things off ahead 8-4 after a 4-0 run, forcing an Roanoke timeout. Out of the break, RC pulled within two before EMU scored eight of the next 12 points to take a 17-11 lead after a Walter Spurlock kill. The teams traded points to 18-13 but EMU finished the set strong, scoring seven of the final eight and with back-to-back blocks from Bagby and Oaks, to take a 2-0 lead.
• Once again, EMU jumped out big in set three, taking a 9-4 lead and forcing an early Roanoke timeout. EMU continued to hold the lead, but the Maroons kept them in their sights, getting within two, 13-11, before a kill and a block pushed the lead back to four. EMU would extend the lead to six, 21-15, before RC went on a 5-0 run to pull within one. But a kill from Ward and a Maroon error pushed the lead back three. Roanoke picked up a kill to cut the lead to two, 23-21, but the Royals finished things out with a kill from Ward and an attack error to take…