Box Score MISENHEIMER, N.C. – Early on it appeared the King University men's volleyball team was primed for the upset when they took on Conference Carolinas leading Pfeiffer University. The Tornado offense was on fire, taking the first two sets, but the Falcons came back to force the fifth set. King had a chance at match point, but the league-leaders scored the final three points to take the match 3-2.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Pfeiffer 3, King 2 (25-27, 15-25, 25-16, 25-15, 16-14)
LOCATION: Merner Gymnasium; Misenheimer, N.C.
RECORDS: King 6-20, 3-11 Conference Carolinas; Pfeiffer 12-6, 12-2 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
- With the score even at 11, King scored back-to-back points, gaining an advantage behind a block from Jeff Sprayberry and Jon Wheaton.
- Sprayberry and Sean Luhmann then recorded back-to-back kills to start 4-0 spurt later. The run gave King an 18-13 lead and was capped by a Sprayberry ace.
- However, Pfeiffer came back and evened the score at 20-20, but the Tornado scored the next point before the teams went back-and-forth.
- Matthew Lychock registered a kill, giving King a chance a set point and Luhmann and Lychock gave King the 27-25 win with a block.
- The King offense was just getting start however, as the Tornado hit .483 in the second set, only making one error and recording 15 kills in the frame.
- Nick Drooker capped a 7-1 run that gave King a 12-5 lead with a kill.
- The Tornado held that lead, taking the set 25-15 to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
- However, the Falcons started to get going in the third set, scoring the first three points.
- Pfeiffer didn't slow down, scoring four straight points to take an 11-5 lead.
- The Falcons closed the set by scoring five of the final six points, taking the set 25-16.
- Pfeiffer then opened their 25-15 fourth set win with seven points to start the frame and three straight to end the set and force a fifth set.
- In the fifth set, the Falcons jumped out to a 4-1 lead and held an 11-8 lead later in the set.
- A block from Lychock, Lyhmann and Sprayberry got the offense going at that point as the Tornado rolled off five straight points.
- Luhmann capped the run with a kill, giving King the 13-11 lead.
- However, the Falcons scored back-to-back points before Sprayberry gave King a chance at set point with his 14th kill of the match.
- As they did in the third and fourth sets, the Falcons closed the fifth set on a run. Pfeiffer scored the final three points on two kills from Fabio Diniz and one from Sonny Hirini to take the set 16-14 and the match 3-2.
- Drooker and Sprayberry both posted double-doubles on the day. Drooker recorded 42 assists and 14 digs while Sprayberry registered a team-high 14 kills and 12 digs.
- Wheaton and Lychock followed with 11 kills apiece with Lychock posting five blocks.
- Jimmy Nuckolls added 10 digs for the Tornado.
FOR THE FOES
- Hirini paced the Falcons with 23 kills and 14 digs for the double-double.
- Harrison Lutz also recorded a double-double, posting 66 assists and 13 digs.
- Jonathan Martinez registered 18 kills and 12 digs while Diniz added 17 kills.
- Kevin Ecklund posted 14 digs.
UP NEXT
- King will be in action again on Wednesday when they host Lees-McRae College at 7:00 p.m. in the Student Center Complex.
- Pfeiffer returns to action on Tuesday at Limestone College.
