In their first home match of the season the Lees-McRae men's
volleyball team fought rival Mt. Olive College in a five game
battle Friday evening in Williams Gymnasium losing 3-2 (23-30,
30-21, 31-29, 27-30, 9-15). The Trojans now stand at 5-4 on the
year, while the youthful Bobcats fall to 0-4 in the season.
In game one it was the Trojans, guided by assistant coach Sara
Christie while head coach Sasha Gutor recuperates from surgery for
a ruptured appendix, who took advantage of a few mistakes on the
Bobcat side to forge ahead early, maintaining the lead for a 30-23
win. The Bobcats, however, clawed their way back into the match in
game two, putting down several kills to push themselves ahead. The
Bobcats kept the lead to the end capturing game two by a score of
30-21.
The third game of the night proved to be a tight race to the
end. The Bobcats came up with a great save when the ball bounced
to the rafters off the head of Robert
Ritchie (Hollywood, FL) and Ryan
Black (Escondido, CA) sent the ball flying over the net for the
kill. On the next point the teams volleyed until the Trojans sent
one out-of-bounds giving the Bobcats the game 31-29.
The Bobcats and Trojans battled it out again in another tight
race in game four, but in the end Mount Olive prevailed 30-27,
proving they were not yet ready to leave the gym and forcing the
match to a fifth and final game. This time it was the Trojans who
stormed to the front winning the game 15-9 and the match 3-2.
"Like always Mt. Olive & Lees-McRae had a great battle. In
the 5th game they were more efficient at the net and that was the
difference maker," stated Head Coach Jamie Petrik.
Leading the way for the Bobcats was Colin
Kelly (Orlando, FL) who put down 12 kills, served up three
aces, and had two block solos and a block assist. Shane
Holderby (Virginia Beach, VA) and Chad
Mercado (Orlando, FL) fueled the Bobcats with 14 and 13 kills
respectively while teammate Grant
Cassell (Mt. Vernon, OH) helped defensively by putting up a
block solo and a block assist before sitting out with an
injury.
Juan
Ramirez (Miami, FL), stepping in for an injured Josh
Shea (Las Vegas, NV), put up 55 assists along with seven digs
in the five game match and Ritchie, in addition to his big save in
game three had eleven digs and two aces in the contest. Junior
transfer Ryan Black added nine kills and two aces in the
effort.
The Bobcats hit the road next weekend playing Sacred Heart
University (Fairfield, CT) on Friday, February 8 at 7:00pm, then
traveling on to Newark, NJ to face the New Jersey Institute of
Technology on Saturday, the 9th, at 3:00pm.
Pictured: Colin Kelly
