Banner Elk, NC – The Emmanuel Men's Volleyball team traveled to Banner Elk, NC today to take on Lees McRae in conference action. The Bobcats got off to a quick start, taking the first two sets 26-24, 25-23. The Lions answered back to win the next two sets, 26-24, 25-19, but the Bobcats took set five, 15-9 to earn the 3-2 win. With the loss, the Lions fall to 1-13 on the season, 0-4 in conference action. 

Set one was competitive, with both teams making key plays. The two teams traded points and the lead until Emmanuel's Thijs Van der Wal grabbed back-to-back kills to give the Lions a 10-8 advantage. The Bobcats tied things up at 10 and continued on a run to go up 17-13. A service ace by Ed-Verian Basson and a kill by Van der Wal made it 19-17, Bobcats. Kills by Aidan Feeney and Lucas Nieves put the Lions within one point of the lead, 22-21. Kills by Feeney and Van der Wal helped the Lions tie things at 24-24, but the Bobcats would score the final two points to take the set, 26-24. 

In the second set, the Lions jumped out to a 4-0 lead on kills by Andrew Michael and Lucas Nieves. The Bobcats would respond with a run of their own to take a 7-6 lead. Kills by Nieves and a service ace by Van der Wal put the Lions on top, 14-10 but the Bobcats responded to tie things at 18. The two teams would trade points the rest of the way until the Bobcats pulled ahead to score the final to points to take set 2, 25-23. 

In set three, the Lions jumped out to an 8-6 lead on kill by Basson, Van der Wal and Nieves but the Bobcats responded to tie the set at 8. The Bobcats continued on a 7-0 run to take a 13-8 lead. Lees McRae would push their lead to 18-13, but the Lions would respond with a 5-0 run to tie things at 18. The two teams would trade points the rest of the way until an ace by Van der Wal and two kills by Nieves put the set away for the Lions with a win, 26-24. 

Set four saw the Lions jump out to a 6-2 lead on kills by Van der Wal, Nieves, Elek Cumming and an ace by Michael. The Lions would push their lead to 12-4, but the Bobcats would respond to cut the Lions lead to five, 20-15. The Lions would close the set out strong with kills by Nieves and Michael to take a 25-19 win.

In the fifth set, the two teams traded points and the lead early. After Nieves tied the set at 8-8 on a kill, the Bobcats went on a 6-0 run to make it 14-8. Lees McRae would close out the set strong to win it, 15-9 and earn a 3-2 victory over the Lions. 

Overall, the Lions had 56 kills, 6 aces, 7 blocks, 53 assists and 56 digs. 

Lucas Nieves led the way with 17 kills, with Thijs Van der Wal adding 14 on the afternoon. Van der Wal led the team with 3 aces, with Ed-Verian Basson adding 2. Andrew Michael had 4 blocks, wit Oliwer Wrobel adding 43 assists. Josh Staehler and Oliwer Wrobel each had 13 digs in the game. 

Next up, the Lions will host Erskine College on Tuesday at 7PM. For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.