Box Score BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University men's volleyball team fell to Conference Carolinas leader Erskine College in a three set battle. The Flying Fleet was able to come out on top in each set but the Tornado put up a fight falling by no more than four points in all three sets.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Erskine 3, King 0 (25-22, 27-25, 25-21)
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 7-22, 4-12 Conference Carolinas; Erskine 18-5; 15-2 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Tornado grabbed an early lead coming off a Jeff Sprayberry kill that gave King a 4-3 advantage.
- A Sean Luhmann kill then sparked a 6-3 run for the Tornado that was topped off by a Sprayberry kill that gave King an 11-7 lead.
- After trading points for a while Erskine was able to soon adjust rallying back with a 6-0 run that then gave them a 19-16 lead that was slowed down by a couple of errors.
- Luhmann brought the Tornado within two with a kill from Nick Drooker now trailing 21-19.
- King was unable to get past the two point disadvantage as Erskine took the set 25-22.
- The Flying Fleet came out taking a 4-1 lead before posting three consecutive errors that tied the set 4-4 and then posted a 6-0 run that forced a King timeout down 10-4.
- With the Flying Fleet momentum slowed as Drooker lazered in ace that fueled a King 10-4 run highlighted by three kills apiece from duo Luhmann and Sprayberry as King took a 15-14 lead.
- Back-to-back kills from Mike Michelau silenced the Tornado run and allowed the Flying Fleet to regain the lead 17-15.
- A stuff from Adrian Besson and Matthew Lychock tied the set 18-18 and Michelau again gave Erskine the lead with two consecutive kills.
- An attack error from the Flying Fleet gave the Tornado set point 25-24 but Michelau gave Erskine the set 27-25 off three consecutive kills.
- In set three King held a two point lead topped by a Lychock kill giving King a 5-3 advantage before Erskine took the lead 7-6 on a kill by Roberto Perez Vargas.
- Sprayberry, Drooker, and Jon Wheaton gave King the lead 10-9 at the net with a block.
- Again at the net, Wheaton and Drooker gave King a two point advantage with a stuff now up 15-13.
- The Flying Fleet then grabbed the lead 18-17 off a solo block from Oman Melendez and did not allow the Tornado to regain the advantage in the set.
- After being tied 20-20 after a Sprayberry kill from Drooker and a Erskine attack error the Flying Fleet went on recording four straight points taking a 24-21 lead and then a Michelau kill sealed the set 25-21 for Erskine.
- Sprayberry led the Tornado with 11 kills.
- Drooker and Wheaton posted five blocks apeice and Lychock tallied in four.
- Wheaton also posted five kills, hitting .455.
FOR THE FOES
- Michealu led the Flying Fleet with 21 kills, hitting .350.
- Neal Stanley posted a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs.
UP NEXT
- The Tornado will host Barton College Friday at 7:00 p.m.
- Erskine travels next to Belmont Abbey College Friday.
