BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University men's volleyball team came out and won the first two sets over Belmont Abbey College on Tuesday night. However, the Crusaders came back and forth a fifth set. In the final set, King used a run to take the advantage, but Belmont Abbey came back to top the Tornado 21-19 to take the match 3-2.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Belmont Abbey 3, King 2 (21-25, 26-28, 25-21, 25-22, 21-19)
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 7-11, 4-6 Conference Carolinas; Belmont Abbey 11-5, 7-3 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
- King made their move in the middle of the first set, turning a 14-13 deficit into a 17-14 lead with four straight points.
- Joshua Kim started the run with a kill while Aaron Milstead and Jackson Carroll added kills on the run.
- Carroll later gave King the 25-21 win with his second kill of the set.
Second Set
- It looked like King was going to pull away in the middle of the second set again, scoring four straight points to take a 13-6 lead.
- Carroll and Kim book-ended the run with kills.
- However, Belmont Abbey used a 7-1 run to even the tally at 18 as the teams began to trade points.
- King finally scored back-to-back points to take the set 28-26.
Third Set
- Kim and Milstead teamed up for consecutive kills on a 3-0 spurt that put the Tornado ahead 12-10 in the third set.
- However, Belmont Abbey responded with a 4-1 run to regain the advantage.
- The Crusaders used a 4-1 run to gain a 20-17 advantage before scoring three straight points to have a chance at set point.
- King staved off two set points, but the Crusaders took the set 25-21.
Fourth Set
- The Tornado again scored four straight points in the middle of the set, this time to take an 11-9 lead, but the Crusaders came back with three straight points.
- King later took an 18-16 lead, but the Crusaders responded with five straight points to take a 21-18 lead.
- The Tornado couldn't get back to even as Belmont Abbey won the set 25-22, forcing a fifth set.
Fifth Set
- Belmont Abbey looked to gain control of the decisive set scored three straight points to start a 5-2 run that vaulted the Crusaders to a 10-7 lead.
- Trailing 13-10, Carroll started a 3-0 King spurt with a kill.
- A Kim kill followed by a Kellan Kennedy ace gave King a chance at match point, leading 15-14.
- However, the teams then traded points with the Tornado having the advantage until back-to-back Crusader points gave Belmont Abbey a 19-18 lead.
- Following a Tornado point, Belmont Abbey scored back-to-back points, taking the set 21-19 and the match 3-2.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Kim led the Tornado with 31 kills, 12 digs and three blocks.
- Milstead followed with 13 kills and an attack percentage of .579. He added five blocks.
- Carroll posted 11 kills, 11 digs and three blocks.
- JT Deppe handed out 54 assists while Noah Melendez registered 14 digs.
FOR THE FOES
- Matteo Miselli led Belmont Abbey with 17 kills, nine digs and four blocks.
- Riley Mulkey followed with 16 kills while Andrew Kohut posted 15 kills and 10 digs.
- Brian Long added 13, kills, and nine blocks.
- Brennan Davis handed out 63 assists and Daniel Cerqua recorded 12 digs.
- Jake Somers added eight kills and 10 digs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The double-double for Carroll is the first of his career as he posted a career-high 11 digs.
- Milstead also set a career-high with 13 kills.
- Kim eclipsed the 30-kill plateau for the second time this season. Earlier this season he broke the previous school record of 31 kills in a match with 36.
UP NEXT
- King hosts Emmanuel College at 7:00 p.m. on Friday night.
- Belmont Abbey travels to the University of Mount Olive on Friday night.
