Bristol, Tenn.- The King University men's volleyball team delivered a commanding performance on Wednesday evening, sweeping Warren Wilson 3–0 inside the Student Center Complex. Behind a balanced offense, efficient setting, and a sharp defensive effort, the Tornado (2–3) controlled the match from start to finish against the Owls (1–4), winning by scores of
25–15, 25–21, and 25–14 in front of 133 fans.
King hit an impressive
.322 as a team while holding Warren Wilson to
-.014, using strong serving pressure and a steady block to keep the Owls off balance throughout the night.
Set-by-Set Breakdown
Set One – King 25–15
King opened the match with its cleanest offensive set, hitting
.433 behind early kills from
Trent Benedict,
Colton Bueter, and
Dalton Claiborne. Setter
Tristan Brassington distributed the ball efficiently, while the Tornado block forced Warren Wilson into five attack errors. A 7–1 run midway through the frame gave King full control as they cruised to a 1–0 lead.
Set Two – King 25–21
Warren Wilson found more rhythm in the second set, pushing the Tornado with improved defense and aggressive swings from
Lleyton Starke and
Kaiyan Ivey. King weathered the pressure thanks to timely kills from
Brett Lloyd and
Kellen Woolm, along with steady back-row play from
Alessandro Fermani, who tallied 13 digs on the night. A late 4–1 surge sealed the set and put King ahead 2–0.
Set Three – King 25–14
The Tornado closed the match with another dominant frame, hitting
.400 and controlling the tempo from the service line.
Colin Dargan sparked the offense with powerful swings, while Benedict and Woolm combined for four blocks to shut down the Owls' attack. King's depth shined as multiple hitters contributed in the final push to secure the sweep.
Statistical Leaders – Warren Wilson
Offense
- Lleyton Starke: 4 kills, 8 digs, 4.5 points
- Will Bush: 3 kills, 3 digs, 3.5 points
- Kaiyan Ivey: 2 kills, 10 assists, 5 digs, 3.5 points
Defense
- Team Digs: 24
- Team Blocks: 10 block assists
Statistical Leaders – King University
Offense
| Player |
Stats |
| Colin Dargan |
10 kills, .400 hitting, 4 digs, 10.0 points |
| Alessandro Fermani |
7 kills, .222 hitting, 13 digs, 9.0 points |
| Trent Benedict |
6 kills, .857 hitting, 4 block assists, 8.5 points |
| Kellen Woolm |
4 kills, .200 hitting, 3 block assists, 7.0 points |
| Colton Bueter |
5 kills, .400 hitting, 4 digs, 5.0 points |
| Dalton Claiborne |
4 kills, .667 hitting, 4.5 points |
Setting
- Tristan Brassington: 21 assists, 1 ace, 1 block assist
- Joao Pedro Ribeiro: 14 assists, .500 hitting
Defense & Blocking
- Team Digs: 39
- Team Blocks: 3 solo blocks, 10 block assists
- Service Aces: 5
Team Comparison
- King: 45 kills on 90 swings (.322)
- Warren Wilson: 13 kills on 74 swings (-.014)
- Key Difference: King's balanced offense and superior block dictated the match's pace.
Up Next
King returns to action on
Friday, February 13, hosting
Barton College at 1:30 p.m. as the Tornado look to build on their momentum.
