FRANKLIN SPRINGS, GA - The #4 seed Emmanuel men's volleyball team (15-13, 7-7 CC) hosted #5 seed Erskine (13-18, 6-8 CC) for the quarterfinal round of the 2022 Conference Carolinas Championship on Tuesday. The Lions defeated the Fleet in five sets, sealing a semifinal bid for the first time in program history.
With the victory, Emmanuel will now face #1 seed North Greenville on Friday, April 22 at 5:00pm.
Set one:
Emmanuel hit .280 in the opener, versus .160 for Erskine. The score was back and forth throughout, but with the Lions leading 24-22 freshman Gustavo Cavalcanti gave the Lions the set with his seventh kill of the night.
Set two:
Erskine took charge early, leading 10-5 and forcing the Lions to take a timeout. A 6-3 run out of the timeout got Emmanuel back within two (11-13), but the Fleet soon went on another run. Eventually Erskine was on top 24-20. A kill from sophomore Eli Zdonek extended the set before back-to-back aces for Gustavo Cavalcanti continued to keep Emmanuel's hopes alive. However, a kill for Erskine gave them the second set, 25-23.
Set three:
Emmanuel led 6-3 early in the third, but a quick run for Erskine squared the score at seven. The game remained close until the end, but with the score tied at 23 the Fleet scored twice to go up two sets to one as they claimed the third, 25-23.
Set four:
With Emmanuel's season hanging in the balance, Erskine took a 6-4 advantage early. However, a 7-1 run for Emmanuel sent the home crowd into a frenzy and gave the Lions a four point lead, 11-7. Emmanuel would increase their lead to as much as six, 23-17, before a last-ditch effort by the Fleet got them to 22. But kills from Cavalcanti and sophomore Carlos Guerrero extended Emmanuel's season, and the match, as the Lions took the fourth set 25-22.
Set five:
The Lions hit at their most efficient percentage of the night (.438) when they needed it most. Erskine led 4-3, but a rally that included two kills from both Zdonek and Cavalcanti led to the Lions gaining a 10-7 advantage. After a kill from Erskine, Guerrero's 17th kill of the night maintained Emmanuel's lead. Cavalcanti and freshman Viktor Berg then combined for a huge block, making the score 12-8. After a timeout and point for the Fleet, Cavalcanti knocked down his 26th of the night. Another big block, this time from Berg and junior Henrik Westhoff, got the Lions to set and match point. An error for Erskine sealed their fate, giving Emmanuel the 15-10 and 3-2 victory.
Gustavo Cavalcanti finished with a career-best 26 kills, adding 9 digs, 5 aces, and 2 blocks to the performance. Carlos Guerrero followed with a career-high of his own that included 17 kills, 6 digs, and 3 blocks. Eli Zdonek notched a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs. Setter Henrik Westhoff dished out 52 assists.
With this win, men's volleyball will face North Greenville in the semifinal round of the Conference Carolinas Championship. The match will be hosted by Mount Olive and take place on Friday, April 22 at 5:00pm.
For more on Emmanuel College athletics, visit goeclions.com.
