BANNER ELK, N.C. --- Lees-McRae junior Brady Markle delivered a season-high 25 kills and sophomore teammate Gabriel Rivera paved the way with 19 assists while the Lees-McRae men's volleyball team dropped a 20-25, 25-21, 19-25, 21-25, Conference Carolinas decision to Barton Saturday afternoon at Williams Gymnasium in Banner Elk, N.C.
The Bulldogs (3-7, 3-4 CC) enjoyed a 22-kill performance from Pierre Tang-Taye while Mike McMahon impressed defensively with 17 digs. The Bobcats (1-6, 0-5) held a +7 advantage in service aces (9-2).
BC's Michael Perez jumpstarted an 11-5 run in the opening set with a pair of block assists while Tanner Medina delivered a pair of kills.
Medina and Perez accumulated six block assists each.
Rivera (Cupey Bajo, Puerto Rico) tallied one of his three kills to cut the deficit to three, 16-13.
Tang-Taye would prove to be too strong while cranking out seven kills in the first set.
Markle (York, Pa.) would match the Bulldog kill-for-kill by amassing seven himself.
BC hit a match-high .393 in the set.
Sophomore John Sobel (Holbrook, N.Y.) smashed one of his dozen kills to help LMC get out to a 10-7 lead in the second.
The Bulldogs would rally back to tie it at 20 following a Tang-Taye kill.
LMC's Markle and Sobel combined for three kills and a pair of service aces to win a tight second set.
Both teams struggled from the service line while six of the first seven points of the third were scored off of service errors.
BC's front line blocked five Bobcat attacks, in part of an 11-4 run, taking a 14-7 lead.
Sophomore Marky Shayka (Hamilton, Va.) collected one of his four kills to trim BC's lead to four, 19-15.
The Bulldogs staved off the comeback attempt with a pair of block assists from Perez.
Tied at five in the final set, BC used a 10-5 run to grab a lead it wouldn't relinquish.
LMC mounted an impressive and would cut it 20-18, following one of Markle's five aces.
Tang-Taye scored the Bulldogs' final five points via kill despite LMC hitting a team-best .273 in the fourth.
The Bobcats will make the short trip to Bristol, Tenn., Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. to battle King (Tenn.).
- LMC -
