Franklin Springs, GA – The Emmanuel Men's Volleyball team hosted North Greenville University tonight for a conference matchup. The Trailblazers took the first two sets, 27-25, 25-19. The Lions bounced back to take set three, 25-23 but the Trailblazers took set four, 25-18 to win the game, 3-1. With the loss, the Lions fall to 1-11 on the season.
The Trailblazers jumped out to a 3-1 lead in set one. The Lions answered back to tie things at 3-3 on a service error and attack error by the Trailblazers. The two teams traded points and the lead, until the Lions went on a 3-0 run to jump ahead, 9-6. The Trailblazers retook the lead midway through the set on a 4-0 run to make it 15-12 but a kill by
Aidan Feeney tied the set up at 15. The Trailblazers jumped back out ahead again to make it 20-16, but back-to-back service aces by
Thijs Van der Wal would give the Lions a 23-22 lead. The two teams would continue to trade points until the Trailblazers scored the final two points to earn a 27-25 set one win.
In set two, the Trailblazers jumped out to a 5-1 lead. The Lions would get within a point of the lead on a kill by
Carlos Guerrero to make it 6-5, NGU but the Trailblazers would respond with a 4-1 run to go up 10-6. Midway through the set, NGU led 18-10 but the Lions used a 4-0 run to make it 19-14. Kills by Van der Wal and Feeney made it 20-16, but the Trailblazers would close the set out strong to earn a 25-19 win.
The Lions bounced back in the third set. NGU jumped out to an early 4-2 lead, but the Lions responded behind kills by Guerrero and
Andrew Michael to tie the set at 4. The two teams traded points until a service ace by Guerrero gave the Lions their first lead of the set. The Lions forced the Trailblazers into a few errors to take a 16-12 lead, but NGU would respond to get back within two points of the lead at 18-16. A kill by Feeney put the Lions back up 20-16 but NGU would tie things back up at 22. The Lions would score the final two points to take the set, 25-23.
In the fourth set, the Trailblazer took an early 4-1 lead. Kills by Guerrero and Feeney put the Lions within a point of the lead 5-4, and a kill by Van der Wal tied the set at 7. The Trailblazers would respond to go up 12-8, but the Lions used kills by Feeney and
Greg Bodus to get within striking distance, 19-13. The Lions closed the set out strong, but the Wolves held them off to win the set, 25-18 and the game, 3-1.
Overall, the Lions had 32 kills, 32 assists, 5 aces, 10 blocks and 47 digs.
Aidan Feeney led the way with 13 kills, with
Carlos Guerrero adding 9.
Oliwer Wrobel led the team with 23 assists, while
Thijs Van der Wal contributed 3 aces. Van der Wal and
Andrew Michael each had 2.5 blocks a piece while
Aidan Feeney and
Greg Bodus added 2 apiece. Wrobel led the Lions with 15 digs, while
Josh Staehler added 10.
The Lions will be back in action on Friday as they hit the road to Bristol, TN to face King University.
For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.
