BANNER ELK, N.C. –
Ethan Gardner and
Michael Marsans combined for 26 kills, 3 solo blocks, three block assists and 10 digs, but it was not enough as Emmanuel rallied past the host Bobcats in a five-set thriller.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Emmanuel def. Lees-McRae, 3-2 (23-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 17-15)
LOCATION: Williams Gymnasium – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Emmanuel (7-15/5-8), Lees-McRae (2-15/2-9)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Gardner posted a team-high 14 kills to go along with two solo blocks and two block assists.
- Marsans tallied 12 kills and eight digs, while M.J. Doyle chipped in nine kills and eight digs.
- Steven Nalls and Riley Chapman finished with 12 digs and 42 assists respectively.
- Lees-McRae survived a late charge by the Lions in the first set to claim a 25-23 victory in the first set on a final kill by Gardner.
- Emmanuel responded with a 25-19 win in set two.
- The Bobcats recaptured the momentum in the third set by finishing on a 7-3 run, highlighted by a late kill by Doyle, to clinch the third stanza, 25-23.
- The Lions forced a fifth set by closing on a 4-0 run in the fourth set to claim a 25-19 victory.
- Both teams matched each other point-for-point in the final frame until Emmanuel used a Bobcat attacking error and a final service ace to claim the five-set thriller.
- The Lions held a 70-45 edge in kills and a slim 9-8 advantage in assists.
FOR THE FOES:
- Four Lions posted double-digit kills, led by Don Thompson who tallied 19 kills and 10 digs.
- Henrik Westhoff chipped in 55 set assists and a team-high 12 digs.
NOTEWORTHY:
- With his two solo blocks against Emmanuel, Ethan Gardner needs only one more solo block to tie the program record and two more solo blocks to become Lees-McRae's all-time leader.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats will visit Belmont Abbey in a Conference Carolinas showdown on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
