BANNER ELK, N.C. – Lees-McRae men's volleyball senior
Nicholas Brewster had a career day on his senior day with 26 kills on a .203 hitting percentage. The Bobcats forced a fifth set with Thomas More, but the Saints earned the five-set victory on Saturday afternoon.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Thomas More def. Lees-McRae, 3-2 (25-23, 25-23, 17-25, 23-25, 15-10)
LOCATION: McNair & Debi Tornow Court – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Thomas More (14-11/2-5), Lees-McRae (1-24/0-11)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lees-McRae held the 13-11 advantage in the first set, but Thomas More answered with three consecutive points for the 14-13 lead. The Saints collected the first set, 25-23, after holding off a late Bobcat rally.
- The second set proved to be a similar score compared to the first as the Saints picked up the 25-23 set win. Thomas More broke the 23-23 tie and used a service ace and bad set for the two-set advantage.
- The Bobcats bounced back in the third set as Lees-McRae held Thomas More to a -0.091 hitting percentage for the 25-17 set win. Abdirahman Ahmed and Sebastian Heer combined for the double block to force the third set.
- Lees-McRae continued the momentum in the fourth set as Brewster gave the Bobcats set point at 24-21. Brewster sent the match to a decisive set after another kill at 25-23.
- In the fifth set, the Saints jumped out to an early 6-3 lead on an attack error from the Bobcats. Lees-McRae tied the set at 8-8, but Thomas More used a 7-2 run to earn the set at 15-10, and match in five sets.
- Brewster had a career-high 26 kills on 59 total attempts for the Bobcats and added three blocks, five digs, and one service ace on the day.
- Heer followed with five kills on a .286 hitting percentage and Nelson Castellanos registered five kills on 10 total attempts.
- Ahmed dished out 40 assists in the five sets to go along with two service aces, five blocks, and four digs. Ben Ratliff-Becher accumulated 12 digs in the match.
- Prior to today's match, Brewster was honored as part of senior day festivities for Lees-McRae men's volleyball.
FOR THE SAINTS:
- Ben Albers and Jacob Schurfranz guided Thomas More with eight kills apiece. Schurfranz had a team-leading .636 hitting percentage in five sets.
- Noah Smith-Trondle distributed 29 assists for the Saints and recorded five digs in the match.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae returns to Conference Carolinas play on Wednesday, April 3 as the Bobcats will face Belmont Abbey in Belmont, North Carolina at 7 p.m.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on X (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
