LYNCHBURG, Va.- The Randolph men's volleyball team hosted a tri-match on Saturday with Roanoke and Penn State Altoona. The WildCats dropped their first match to the Maroons 3-1 (24-26, 17-25, 25-18, 17-25) and won their second match 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-14) over the Lions.
In the first set against the Maroons, Randolph had an early 3-2 lead but the set would be tied several times before Roanoke went up 9-7. Roanoke held an 15-12 lead but the 'Cats rallied to take a 16-15 lead. Randolph led 23-22 before the Maroons pushed ahead 24-23, Randolph tied it at 24-all on a kill by Chase Noblitt (Greer, S.C./Eastside HS) but Roanoke pulled away in the end with a pair of kills by Colin Mendoza.
Randolph took the first point of the second set but the Maroons rattled off five straight points to go up 5-1. Roanoke would go on to take a 10-5 lead on the 'Cats that soon grew to 18-10. The 'Cats pulled to within two points at 19-17 but Roanoke closed out the set with a 6-0 run to win 25-17.
Roanoke took an early 3-1 lead in the third set but Randolph rallied to go up 5-3. The WildCats continued to add to their lead as they got out to a 14-9 advantage. Holding an 18-14 lead, Randolph went on a 5-0 run to go up 23-14 on its way to a 25-18 win.
The WildCats led 8-7 in the fourth set before the Maroons wrestled the lead away to take an 11-7 lead. Randolph closed to within two points at 16-14 but Roanoke used a 9-3 run to win the set 25-17.
Noel Schmid (Wiesau, Germany/Stiftland-Gymnasium) had a team-high 12 kills for the WildCats. Ahmed Diallo (Aurora, Colo./Overland HS) added 10 kills, six, digs, and four block assists. Conner Maher (Buckeye, Ariz./Odyssey Institute) totaled 19 assists and Ian Arce (Sneads Ferry, N.C./Dixon HS) 16 assists. Noblitt had a team-high seven block assists. Derek Smith (Alexandria, Va./Homeschool) led in digs with nine.
Against the Lions, Randolph quickly got out in front 7-3. PSU-Altoona kept pace with the WildCats as it moved to within two points at 15-13. An 8-2 Randolph run gave the home team a 23-15 lead. The Lions would go to outscore the WildCats 5-2 down the stretch but Randolph hung on for the 25-20 set win.
The WildCats got out to a 6-1 lead on the Lions in the second set. PSU-Altoona closed to within a point at 6-5 but the 'Cats went on an 8-1 run to go up 15-7. Randolph continued to add to its lead as it pulled away to take a 25-15 win.
Randolph scored the first point of the third set but the Lions went on to go up 4-1. The WildCats countered with an 8-1 run to lead 9-5. With the score standing at 10-8, the WildCats went on a 9-1 run to go up 19-9. The Lions started to make their way back in as they moved the score to 19-13. It was too much Randolph in the end, however, as the WildCats' 6-1 run put away the Lions and secured the victory.
Schmid and Shamel Smith (Tamarac, Fla.) both led the team with 10 kills. Arce totaled 26 assists. Derek Smith had a team-high 13 digs.
Randolph makes the short trip across town to the University of Lynchburg on Wednesday evening. The WildCats and Hornets play a 6:00 pm ODAC match.
