Greenville, TN – The Emmanuel Men's Volleyball team opened their season tonight in a regional matchup with the Tusculum University Pioneers. The Pioneers took the early lead, taking the first set 25-16. The Lions battled in the second set, falling 25-22. The Pioneers closed out the match with a 25-16 win in set three to take the game, 3-0. With the loss, the Lions fall to 0-1 on the season. 

The Pioneers opened up the first set taking a 5-2 lead. Three errors by Tusculum cut their lead to a point, 6-5 but the Pioneers would bounce back with a 4-0 run to take a 10-5 lead.  Midway through the set, the Lions trailed 17-12 and the home team Pioneers closed the set strong to earn the 25-16 win.

The Lions bounced back in the second set taking an early 5-3 lead on kills by Elek Cumming and Matthieu Bataillie. The Pioneers responded to tie the set at 6-6 and take the lead, but a 5-1 run by the Lions including kills by Greg Bodus and Aidan Feeney put the Lions up 12-9. Tusculum responded with a 6-2 run of their own to take a 16-14 lead midway through the set. The two teams traded points the rest of the way, but the Pioneers stayed a point ahead to earn the 25-22 set two win. 

Tusculum carried their momentum into the third set taking a 6-1 lead early. Kills by Bataille, Bodus, Feeney and Cumming cut the Pioneers lead in half midway through the set. 14-7 but the Pioneers held off a late run by the Lions to earn the set win, 25-16 and the sweep, 3-0. 

Elek Cumming led the Lions with 7 kills on the night, with Aidan Feeney and Greg Bodus adding 4 a piece. Bodus led the team with 5 blocks, while Oliwer Wrobel picked up 18 assists. Feeney and Thijs Van der Wal had 5 digs a piece, with Bo Moore contributing 4. 

The Lions will be back in action tomorrow at 7PM against Lincoln Memorial University. 

For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.