Glenside, PA – On Saturday afternoon, the Regent University Men's Volleyball traveled north to the Keystone State for a tri-match with Arcadia University and Hood College. This was a great opportunity for the Royals to get back in the win column and start a run as they begin a four-game stretch with NCAA Division III schools.
Game One
Graduate Student Colby Yawn (Chesapeake, VA) started the first set with a service ace, which was followed up by a another from Junior Keith Larkin (Snohomish, WA) to keep Regent out in front. Graduate Student Aaron Campbell (Virginia Beach, VA), Freshman Preston Nemeti (Burke, VA) and Junior Aubrey Flora (Chesapeake, VA) both were all able convert kills and keep the set even. While both teams would trade the lead, an ace by Campbell and a kill from Yawn helped the Royals take a two-point advantage. They would do it again, but it was not enough as Regent fell 25-23.
The beginning of the second set saw Larkin score first with a kill on a set from Yawn. Two aces from Freshman Joshua Bissell (Dillsburg, PA) kept the momentum going, but the Blazers would eventually even the score. As in the previous set, the lead would go back-in-forth but Campbell and Yawn, once again, stood strong to give the Royals a three-point edge 17-14. After a timeout, Campbell would string together three straight kills and then a kill by Nemeti sealed the set 25-19.
The third set would be a mirror of the first two, until a kill by Sophomore Ariel Downer (Spring Lake, NC) gave Regent a two-point lead. The score would be tied again but the Royals were able to take advantage of Hood errors, along with a Flora ace, to go back out in front. Flora continued to score and then a Larkin kill gave Regent the set 25-16.
Campbell opened the fourth set with kill and then one by Yawn gave the Royals an early advantage 5-4. After falling behind, Yawn, Campbell and Downer fueled a run by the Royals, which flipped the score, giving them a four-point lead. That advantage continued to increase and then Yawn finished the set and the match with another kill giving Regent the win, 3-1 (25-17).
Campbell finished with 14 kills, 15 assists and 10 digs, while Yawn added 12 kills, 18 assists and 4 aces. In addition, Downer led the team with 12 digs.
Game Two
The Royals fell behind early in the first set, but a kill by Flora, on a set from Yawn, eventually tied the score. The teams would trade points until Yawn helped Regent pull ahead by one point. Things continued to go back-in-forth, with no one able to grab a convincing advantage. However, a kill by Campbell would eventually give Regent a two-point lead, their largest so far. However, the Knights mounted a comeback, and the Royals would fall 25-21.
The second set saw Regent battle back to even the score to begin the second set. However, Arcadia put together a run to jump out to a five-point advantage, 12-7. A kill from Yawn, coupled with a Knights' error, trimmed the deficit. Unfortunately, they could not get any closer and would fall 25-16.
Flora helped the Royals take a one-point lead in the third set, but once again Arcadia was able to come back to tie the score. It would remain tied, until Yawn served up an ace to give Regent back the advantage, 11-10. While they fought hard, the Royals would eventually fall by a final score of 3-0 (25-19).
Yawn led Regent with 8 kills and 9 Assists, while Campbell finished with 6 kills, 7 assists and 7 digs.
The Royals will return to action on Saturday, March 15th when they travel down the road for a tri-match at Virginia Wesleyan University. First serve is scheduled for 2:00pm.
