BANNER ELK, N.C. --- Junior Brady Markle led the charge with 21 kills and both offenses swung efficiently while the Lees-McRae men's volleyball team lost 21-25, 21-25, 22-25, to Erskine in a Conference Carolinas match Wednesday evening at Williams Gymnasium in Banner Elk, N.C.
The Flying Fleet (16-4, 12-2 CC) had a trio of players with at least 10 kills while the team swung progressively better throughout the contest. The Bobcats (2-14, 1-11) were led defensively by Keenan Freitas (Mountain View, Hawaii), who had a match-high eight digs.
The opening set was a see-saw battle, but a Markle (York, Pa.) kill put LMC up 15-13.
EC responded with a 7-1 run thanks to a pair of block assists from Neal Stanley.
Markle cranked out three kills and John Sobel (Holbrook, N.Y.) chipped in with one of his six to help shave the deficit to two, 23-21.
The Flying Fleet's Omar Melendez and Mike Michelau hammered home two David Grandy sets to wrap up the set.
Grandy led both teams with 41 assists.
Michelau spurned an early 4-0 run in the second, giving EC a lead it'd never relinquish.
Freitas stuffed a Grandy attack attempt to cut the disadvantage to two, 15-13.
Both teams would exchange kills for the remainder of the set, including three from Markle and one from Mark Shayka (Hamilton, Va.)
Both offenses were spot on in the middle frame while EC hit .483 and LMC swung at a team-high .476 mark.
The final set saw a struggle from the service line while both squads to combine for 10 service errors.
LMC built a 15-11 lead following an impressive solo block from Rudy Klaas (Dakar, Senegal).
The Bobcats kept the lead at three after yet another trio of kills from Markle.
EC would produce a 10-4 run and rally to win the set while hitting a match-best .577.
LMC's Drew Blecher (York, Pa.) dished out 31 assists.
The Bobcats welcome Emmanuel (Ga.) Saturday, March 28 at 2 p.m. to Williams Gymnasium.
- LMC -
