LYNCHBURG, Va.- The Randolph men's volleyball team hosted Shenandoah and Bridgewater in an ODAC doubleheader on Wednesday evening at Giles Gymnasium. The WildCats won both matches by scores of 3-0.
The WildCats improve their overall record to 14-7 and are 6-4 in conference play.
In the first match, Shenandoah led 3-1 in the first set. Randolph came back to tally four straight points and lead 4-3. The Hornets rallied to take a 7-6 lead but the WildCats went on a 6-1 run to go ahead 12-8. Shenandoah would close twice to within a point but the WildCats would continue to add to their lead. The score stood at 24-22 but Derek Smith's (Alexandria, Va./Homeschool) kill won it for Randolph 25-22.
The WildCats got out to an 8-0 lead in the second set. The Hornets found their footing and were able to close to within three points late in the frame. At 23-20, the 'Cats received kills from Samuel Brown (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) and Smith to close out the set in Randolph's favor 25-20.
Shenandoah started off the third set up 3-0. The Hornets maintained an 11-8 lead but the WildCats used an 8-0 run to turn the tide and swing momentum in their favor 16-11. It was a close score at 19-16 Randolph but the WildCats finished off the Hornets with a 6-1 run in the end to win 25-17.
Shamel Smith (Tamarac, Fla.) led the 'Cats with nine kills. Conner Maher (Buckeye, Ariz./Odyssey Institute) totaled 24 assists. Samuel Looney (Fort Worth, Texas/Trinity Valley HS) led in digs with 10. Brown and Noel Schmid (Wiesau, Germany/Stiftland-Gymnasium) both had three service aces.
In the Bridgewater match, the two teams started off exchanging points with the score tied at 4-4. Randolph went on a 9-1 run to go up 13-5. The WildCats dominated the remainer of the set as they won 25-11.
The Eagles notched the first point of the second set to lead 1-0. The WildCats came back to take a 3-1 lead. Randolph went on to lead 10-6 and then expanded its advantage to 15-8. BC rallied to close to within two points to make the score 15-13. Randolph then used a 10-2 run to expand its advantage and win 25-15.
Bridgewater led 4-3 in the third set but the WildCats broke away with an 11-3 run to lead 14-7. The Eagles tried to keep pace with Randolph as it closed to 19-15. Randolph ended the set with a 6-1 run to close out the Eagles and win 25-16.
Smith led the WildCats in kills with six. Maher added 13 assists. Addison Corey (Loxahatchee, Fla/Seminole Ridge HS) tallied eight digs.
Randolph travels to Randolph-Macon on Saturday. The WildCats will face the Yellow Jackets at 1:00 p.m. and then Tusculum University at 3:00 p.m.
