BANNER ELK, N.C. --- Junior Brady Markle recorded his fourth consecutive 20-kill effort and Mark Shayka chimed in with five block assists while the Lees-McRae men's volleyball team dropped a close battle with Conference Carolinas rival King (Tenn.), 24-26, 20-25, 24-26, Wednesday evening at Williams Gymnasium in Banner Elk, N.C.
The Tornado (14-11, 10-7 CC) operated an efficient offense that swung .270 or better in each set while four players had at least seven kills. The Bobcats (3-15, 2-12) hold a ½ game lead over North Greenville for the final spot in the conference tournament.
Markle (York, Pa.) currently leads the nation with 5.25 kills per set and has 770 in his career.
The first set was tight throughout, but King's Stephen Brown notched a block assist before delivering a service ace to give the Tornado an 18-14 lead.
Markle and sophomore John Sobel (Holbrook, N.Y.) ripped off five kills to spark a 10-6 run, tying the set at 24.
Sobel amassed double digit kills for the fifth time in his last eight matches.
The Tornado used a block from Mason Casner and Sean Luhmann to claim the first set, giving the visitor's the set.
Junior Drew Blecher (York, Pa.) jumpstarted an 8-4 run in the second set with four assists and block assist.
Blecher finished with 35 assists on the night.
King responded with a 12-4 run, grabbing a 16-12 lead.
Kills from Sobel and Markle helped trim the deficit to two, 17-15.
King would stave off the rally with kills from Luhmann and Adrian Besson.
Neither team could build much of a lead in the third until consecutive kills from Sobel put LMC up 20-17.
The Tornado used a trio of kills from Eddie Moushikhian to end the contest on a 9-4 run.
Each team progressively hit better in each set.
Moushikhian led all players with 12 digs while LMC's Keenan Freitas (Mountain View, Hawaii) recorded 10.
The Bobcats welcome Limestone Saturday, April 4 at 2 p.m. for Senior Day in Williams Gymnasium.
- LMC -
