BANNER ELK, N.C. –
Ace Backer,
Sebastian Heer, and
M.J. Doyle combined for 48 total kills in today's five-set showdown as Lees-McRae knocked off Limestone, 3-2.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae def. Limestone, 3-2 (25-19, 23-25, 28-26, 24-26, 15-8)
LOCATION: McNair & Debi Tornow Court – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (1-1/0-0), Limestone (2-2/0-0)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Doyle had a match-high 17 kills and a hitting percentage of .282 to lead the Bobcats and Backer followed with 11 kills on a hitting percentage of .611. Heer joined his fellow Bobcats in double-digit kills with 10 in five sets.
- Bradley Peters dished out 42 assists and added five kills in today's home opener for Lees-McRae in today's victory.
- Doyle started the first set with back-to-back kills as the two sides went back and forth through the opener. The Bobcats pushed their lead to 19-15 after a kill by Peters and a setting error via Limestone's Cayden Marin. Lees-McRae took the set by a score of 25-19.
- Limestone evened the match at one set apiece as the Saints survived a three-point run at the end of the set to earn the 25-23 set victory.
- In the third set, the Bobcats and Saints traded points in the middle stages, but a 4-0 run by Lees-McRae regained the advantage at 21-19. Limestone rallied to knot the score at 26 apiece, but a kill via Doyle and Austin Beaird's ace claimed the set for the Bobcats at 28-26.
- The Saints once again rallied in the fourth set to push the match to a deciding set after a kill by Gabriel Maristany at 26-24.
- Peters and the Bobcats capitalized on three consecutive acces as Lees-McRae started the fifth set with a 7-0 margin. Beaird closed the set and match with a kill as head men's volleyball coach Sam Albus recorded his first career victory at the helm of Lees-McRae.
- Beaird registered nine kills in five sets for the Bobcats and Thomas Couch provided six kills and four digs in the five-set affair.
- Limestone outhit Lees-McRae by a hitting percentage of .263 to .250, but the Bobcats had 58 kills to the Saints' 41.
FOR THE SAINTS:
- James Chretien recorded a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs for Limestone and Noah Gaspard followed with 10 kills on a hitting percentage of .273.
- Cayden Marin registered 35 assists for the Saints and Raymond Rapaglia had nine digs in the contest.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae men's volleyball returns to the McNair & Debi Tornow Court on Saturday, Jan. 28 for a non-conference matchup with St. Andrews. The first serve is slated for 3 p.m. in Banner Elk.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
