Royals Ground Blue Jays on Senior Day

HARRISONBURG, Va. – On senior day, it’s fitting that the senior shines.

Celebrated prior to the match, senior Nate McGhee finished with a match-high 21 kills while David Ward chipped in 17, as EMU picked up a 3-1 (26-24, 25-14, 22-25, 25-19) win over Elizabethtown.

Records: EMU 9-10, 1-4 CVC | Elizabethtown 11-10, 1-4 CVC

Highlights

• Elizabethtown led for much of the first set, pulling ahead 12-9 midway through. The Royals scored four straight with a pair of errors and a pair of kills from Ben Childers, to take a 13-12 lead. The Blue Jays came back and went ahead 15-14 before EMU came up with points from McGhee, Ward and a block from Ward and AJ Bagby to take an 18-17 lead. They were able to maintain a slim lead, getting to 23-21, before Etown called a timeout. Out of the break, the teams swapped points to 24-24, before the Royals forced an error and picked up a kill from Ward to take set one.
• After the Blue Jays started set two ahead 4-3, EMU took control and never looked back. A 12-2 run, highlighted by kills from Childers, McGhee and Ward, along with a Walter Spurlock ace, put EMU ahead 17-6. Elizabethtown was able to pull within seven at 18-11, but the Royals scored four straight, including a Ward kill and an ace from Eric Martin, to take an 11-point lead. A service error from Etown ended the set, putting EMU ahead 2-0.
• Set three was a back-and-forth affair with neither team able to take much of a lead. EMU held a brief lead at 10-9 before a 5-2 Etown run forced a Royals timeout, down 15-12. Out of the break, EMU kept it close and, late, went on a 3-0 run behind two errors and a Ward kill, to move ahead 20-19. Elizabethtown retook the lead before a Ward kill pulled the Royals within one, but the Blue Jays used a kill an error to take the set.
• With kills from Ward and Childers, EMU started set two 5-1. Etown battled back and took a 10-8 and 12-10 lead. EMU then went on a 5-0 run with three kills from McGhee and a kill from Childers, to move back in front. EMU was able to extend their lead to as many as five, 22-17 and 23-18, and used back-to-back kills from McGhee to put things away and take the match.

Statistical Leaders

McGhee: 21 kills (.543), 8 digs,

Ward: 17 kills, 6 digs

Oaks: 46 assists, 10 digs, 2 aces

What’s Next

That wraps up EMU’s 2023 home slate, but the Royals will be back in action on Wednesday when…