MARIETTA, Ga. ---- The No. 13 nationally ranked Life University men's volleyball team swept the final day at the Running Eagles Classic Saturday with victories over Reinhardt (3-2) and Cumberland (3-0).
NOTES
• Life U improved to 3-0 on the year and totaled 48 block assists in the two games
STANDOUT PERFORMERS (Game 1)
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Ryan Ollie led the Running Eagles offensively in the matchup with Reinhardt as the freshman tallied 17 kills with nine digs, three block assists and two service aces.
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Felipe Gonzalez added 12 kills with four service aces, six digs and two block assists.
Diego Perez also finished in double figures with 12 kills, seven block assists and a service ace.
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Javier Cornier tallied 48 assists in the match as
Diego Martinez led the team defensively with 17 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1)
• As the back-and-forth affair began, Life U started early in the first set and did not relinquish the lead. The Running Eagles took the first set 25-19.
• Late in set two, Life U trailed 17-15 as Reinhardt used a 5-1 run to extend its lead to 22-16. A quick 3-0 run wasn't enough as Reinhardt tied the match 25-19.
• Life U led 12-8 early in set three after a block from Ollie and Cabana. Reinhardt cut the lead to four late in the set, 18-14, but a 5-1 Life U run was finished by Gonzalez to give Life U the 23-15 advantage. Ollie put the set away to put the Running Eagles ahead in the match 25-18.
• Life U jumped out to an early 9-4 lead in set four, however Reinhardt responded with a 6-2 run to cut the lead to one, 11-10. Trailing 24-20, Reinhardt forced a fifth set with six consecutive points to tie the match 26-24.
• Life U again led early in set five 6-3, as Reinhardt kept the match within arms distance quickly scoring to bring the Eagles to within one, 6-5. Both teams battled back and forth with 2-0 runs until a service error gave Life U the 15-13 set and match win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 1)
• Life U narrowly edged Reinhardt in kills 58-56 and in hitting percentage, .254 - .244.
• Life U held a dominant lead over Reinhardt in blocks 14-5 and tallied eight service aces to the five from the Eagles.
• Both teams committed 25 errors during the match.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS (Game 2)
• Gonzalez paced the Running Eagles offensively in the second match with 20 kills, five digs, two block assists, a service ace and a solo block.
• Ollie added nine kills with five block assists and four digs as
Alex Cabana led the team with seven block assists.
• Cornier tallied 36 assists in the match as Martinez again led the team defensively with 19 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2)
• Life U led 7-4 early in set one after a block from Cornier on the edge. Cumberland responded with a 7-2 run to take the lead 11-9. In one of the longest streaks of the tournament, the Running Eagles rattled off seven unanswered to lead 16-11. Trailing 19-14 late in the set, Cumberland used a 6-1 run to tie the set at 20. On set point, Cumberland answered back with another 4-0 run to lead 25-24. Gonzalez answered with a kill as a pair of blocks from Life U would end the set ahead 27-25.
• Neither team led by more than two in the second set. A pair of kills and an attack error again put Life U at set point ahead 24-22. Cumberland used a 4-1 run to earn themselves set point 26-25, before kills from Henson and Gonzalez put Life U within one, 27-26. Cumberland tied the set on an attack error but kills from Cornier and Gonzalez put the set away 29-27.
• Life U led the entire third set as the Running Eagles finished perfect on the day with Henson providing the final kill 25-20.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game 2)
• Life U led Cumberland in kills 46-36 and in hitting percentage, .229 - .102.
• Life U again controlled the net against Cumberland with a 15-9 advantage in blocks.
• Life U also held the upper hand in the box score for assists (41-35) and digs (38-35).
UP NEXT
• The men's volleyball team will return to action on Thursday, February 11, when they travel to Cleveland, Ga. to face Truett McConnell University at 7 PM.
