Box Score Winston-Salem, NC – After a successful beginning to their inaugural season, the Regent University Men's Volleyball team was back on the road as they traveled to the Tarheel State for a match-up with fellow NCCAA South Region member Carolina University. The Royals were looking to capitalize on their early success, but they knew they would have to be focused in order to head back to the Beach with a win.
Graduate Student Aaron Campbell (Virginia Beach, VA) got things started in the first set with an opening kill for the first points of the night. However, the Bruins were able to string together a rally to grab the early lead, 5-2. That did not last long, as Campbell's presence at the net flipped the script, giving Regent a one-point advantage. That allowed Junior Keith Larkin (Snohomish, WA) to step up to the service line for seven straight points, forcing Carolina to call a timeout. A kill by Graduate Student Colby Yawn (Chesapeake, VA) added more points for the Royals and then he and Campbell would combine for a kill, along with an ace, to help Regent take the first set 25-12.
The Royals were able to force Carolina into hitting errors, to go along with a Campbell kill, to begin the second set with a quick lead. However, once again, the Bruins were able to start a rally and eventually gain the advantage. For the next few possessions, the score would go back-in-forth until Yawn served up an ace for a two-point lead. That was followed by a kill from Campbell, forcing another Carolina timeout. Campbell would continue to earn points, and then his ace gave the set to Regent, 25-21.
Yawn and Junior Lucas Whitman (Suffolk, VA) began the third set with kills and then Yawn served up three straight aces to take control of the momentum. Larkin added an ace of his own to give the Royals the lead, 10-3. Eventually, the Bruins began a rally but another Yawn ace, combined with a Larkin kill, kept Regent out in front. Kills by Graduate Student Jaxson Gray (Chesapeake, VA) and Campbell pushed the lead to seven-points and then Campbell and Whitman would secure the sweep for the Royals, 25-18.
Campbell finished with 19 kills to go along with his 2 service aces, while Yawn had a team high 23 assists and 6 aces. In addition, Gray led Regent with 3 blocks.
The Royals will be back in action on Saturday, February 8th when they travel to Harrisonburg, VA for a tri-match with the University of Lynchburg and Eastern Mennonite University. First serve is scheduled for 3:00pm.
