SALEM, VA.- The Randolph men's volleyball team played a pair of matches at Roanoke College's Cregger Center on Friday. Randolph lost to the Maroons in its first match of the day 3-2 but defeated Bethany 3-1 in its second match.

In the first set against the Maroons, the two teams traded off points early and only a few points separated both teams. Randolph trailed 16-15 but Roanoke went on a 5-0 run to take a 21-15 lead. The WildCats rallied to close to 23-21, but Roanoke tallied two straight kills to claim the set 25-21.

The second set saw RC get out to a 3-0 lead that eventually grew to a five-point lead at 12-7. The WildCats then used a 10-4 run to go ahead 17-16. Roanoke would eventually come back to take a 20-19 lead but the 'Cats went on a 6-1 run to close out the frame and win 25-21 to even the match at 1-1.

Roanoke got out to a 10-5 lead in the third frame. Randolph climbed its way back in as it eventually tied the match at 13-13. While the Maroons inched their way ahead, the WildCats kept pace as they moved to within one point at 21-20. The Maroons moved to set point at 24-20 but kills by Noah Furr (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Bishop Moore) and Elijah Woods (Chesapeake, Va./Hickory HS) closed the WildCat gap to two points. RC ended the Randolph comeback attempt with a kill by Michael Cummins to win 25-22.

The WildCats led 4-2 early on in the fourth set until the Maroons came back to eventually lead 9-8. The WildCats used a 4-0 run to lead 12-9 and stayed out in front for the remainder of the set as they went on to win 25-20 to force a deciding fifth set. In the fifth set, Roanoke seized momentum as it led 8-3. The two teams switched sides and the WildCats were able to get to within four points at 11-7 but it was too much Roanoke in the end as it went on to win 15-7 to claim the match.

Woods had a double-double effort as he led the 'Cats with 19 kills and added 12 digs. Mats Beentjes (Beverwijk, The Netherlands Kennemer College) also had a double-double performance with 10 kills and a team-high 14 kills. Conner Maher (Buckeye, Ariz./Odyssey Institute) totaled 43 assists and eight digs. Dante Reid (Rock Hill, S.C./Rock Hill HS) had five total blocks and Zachary Septoff (Cumberland, Md.) four block assists.

Against Bethany, Randolph found itself trailing 5-2 early in the first set. The WildCats went on a 4-0 run to go ahead 6-5. Randolph held onto its lead while the Bison tried to claw their way back in. With their lead standing at 19-17, the WildCats went on a 6-2 run to close out the set and win 25-19.

The WildCats started to pull away in the second frame as their lead stood at 14-9. Bethany came back with a 9-3 run to take a 19-17 lead. The Bison held off a Randolph challenge as it won the set 25-22 to tie the match at 1-1.

Bethany's momentum carried into the third set as it started off with a 12-7 lead. The Bison would answer each Randolph point and even expanded their lead to 19-12. Randolph then went on a massive 9-1 run to come back and wrestle the lead away from Bison to go on top 21-20. The WildCats took the set 25-23.

Randolph carried momentum into the fourth set as it got out to a 7-1 lead. Bethany rallied to get to within one point at 16-15. The 'Cats pushed ahead 19-15 and then 21-17. The Bison closed to within a point three times but Beentjes' kill at the end won the set and match for the WildCats.

Shamel Smith (Tamarac, Fla.) led the 'Cats with 13 kills with Beentjes adding 10 kills. Maher led with 38 assists. Zachary Elbert's (Milaca, Minn./Milaca HS) 10 digs were a team-high. Septoff totaled five blocks.

Randolph returns home to host Randolph-Macon on Wednesday. Start time of the match from Giles Gymnasium will be at 7:00 p.m.