Royals Look Strong in Win Over Hiram

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Heading into spring break with a win is always a good thing.

The Royals welcomed Hiram to Yoder Arena on Saturday, taking on the Terriers in non-conference action. EMU used dominating third and fourth sets to pick up the 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-15, 25-14) win.

Records: EMU 9-7, 0-0 CVC | Hiram 4-9, 3-3 AMCC

Highlights

• Hiram led to 6-5 in the first set before a David Ward kill and a Walter Spurlock ace, sent them on a 3-0 run to take the lead. The teams traded points, with neither able to pull ahead by more than two, to EMU ahead 19-17. A Terrier point pulled them within one, but two errors and two kills from AJ Bagby gave EMU a 23-18 lead. Hiram was able to pull within three at 24-21, but an attack error gave the Royals the set one win.
• Two kills from Ward and two attack errors gave EMU a 4-1 lead to start the second set. Hiram responded with a 6-0 run to take the lead. They would maintain their advantage until a 3-0 Royals run pulled them within one. But the Terriers scored five of the next six points and would use a kill to tie the match at one apiece.
• With HU ahead 3-1, EMU used a kill from Ben Childers and two errors to take a 4-3 lead. The teams traded points to a Hiram 7-6 lead before EMU rallied with four straight, with kills from Ward, Tyler Oaks and two errors. The Terriers pulled within two, but EMU scored seven of the next eight to pull ahead big, 19-11. The teams would swap points until a Bagby kill and an attack error gave the Royals the set win and a 2-1 lead.
• The Royals jumped all over Hiram to start set four, going ahead 7-0 and forcing the Terriers to take both timeouts. Hiram would fight back and cut their deficit to five, 17-12, but a Bagby kill and a Spurlock ace, along with an error, pushed the lead to eight. With EMU leading 21-14, they finished out the match with two Terrier errors, a Ward/Childers block and an Oaks ace.

Statistical Leaders

Ward: 15 kills (.542 avg), 5 digs, 2 blocks

Oaks: 37 assists, 3 aces, 4 digs

McGhee:  10 kills, 2 aces, 5 digs, 3 blocks

What’s Next

EMU will be off for the next 10 days before returning to the court on Tuesday, March 14, in their CVC opener against Southern Virginia. First serve of the Rowdy Royals match is at 7 pm.

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