Royals Sweep Nittany Lions, Fall to Arcadia

HARRISONBURG, Va. – For the first time this season, the EMU men’s volleyball team played in front of a home crowd.

The Royals picked up a 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-13) win over Penn State-Altoona in the first match before falling 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-14, 27-25) to arcadia in the finale.

EMU vs PSU-Altoona

Records: EMU 4-3, 0-0 CVC | PSU-Altoona 0-3, 0-0 AMCC

Highlights

Set One

EMU started out ahead 8-5, then extended their lead with a 5-0 run with kills from David Ward and Nate McGhee along with a Ben Childers ace, to go ahead by eight. They later doubled up the Nittany Lions 18-9 with a pair of kills from Walter Spurlock. The teams traded points and PSU was able to pull within seven, but a Childers kill gave the Royals a 1-0 match lead.

Set Two

Set two started out tightly contested through the first 18 points, with things tied at nine apiece. But then the Royals went on a 10-2 tilt, highlighted by kills from Ward, Childers, McGhee and Spurlock along with a big block from Childers and Spurlock. Two from PSU was followed up by another four from EMU and the Royals closed things out, taking advantage of a Nittany Lion service error.

Set Three

Leading by two, EMU extended their lead with seven straight from Tyler Oaks, McGhee and AJ Bagby to go up 14-5. Another big EMU run, this time 7-0, was highlighted by three kills from Christopher Webster, a Spurlock kill and a McGhee ace to put EMU ahead 22-9. The Nittany Lions scored four of the next six but EMU closed things out with a Webster kill to pick up the sweep.

Statistical Leaders

McGhee – 12 kills, 6 digs (hit .435)

Ward – 8 kills (hit .583)

Oaks – 37 assists

Team – hit .400 for the match

EMU vs Arcadia

Records: EMU 4-4, 0-0 CVC | Arcadia 2-3, 0-0 MAC

Set One

With things tied at six in the opening set, Arcadia used a 5-0 run to pull ahead 11-6 and force an EMU timeout. Out of the break, a Childers/Spurlock block ended the run but the Knights responded with three more to move ahead by seven. They maintained a seven-point lead until late in the set when EMU would pull within four, using two points from Ward. Facing set point, EMU would pick up a kill from McGhee to pull within three, but Arcadia would close things out with a kill.

Set Two

Trailing 6-5 in set two, EMU rallied for four straight and five of six, with points from Ward and McGhee, to take a three-point lead….