MARIETTA, Ga. — The Life University men's volleyball team split the day hosting the Life U Pod, opening the event with a win over Carolina University 3-1 before falling to Cumberland University in a close 4-set affair.
Match 1: Life U 3, Carolina University 1
To begin the day, the Running Eagles squeezed through the Bruins with a highly competitive four-set victory over Carolina University. In the day's opener, one frame took extra points while the other three were all decided by three points or less. In the end, the Running won the first set 25-23 before narrowly losing the second frame 27-25. The final two sets were just as close as Life U barely came out on top 25-22 and 25-23.
Life University tallied 46 kills in the match and place an impressive 11 service aces past the Bruins in the win. Jose Llaneza totaled five service aces alone while David Barcan totaled a team-high 12 kills. Defensively, Diego Martinez and Alexis Prado totaled a combined 19 digs, but the real bright spot in the opening match win was freshman Gracjan Mackowiak.
In the match against Carolina U, the freshman totaled six kills with a .417 attacking percentage while proving to be a menace at the net, totaling a new career and season-high nine blocks.
Match 2: Life U 1, Cumberland 3
After a game break, the Running Eagles joined Cumberland University back on the court, as a rejuvenated Cumberland Phoenix team resurged after a 3-1 loss to Reinhardt to pick up a win over Life U.
After proving to be tough competition in the match against Reinhardt, the Phoenix and Running Eagles fought throughout the opening frame as never team succumbed, taking the first set into extra points. After initially trailing 23-21 in the set, Life U tied the match at 23-all, 24-all, 25-all, 26-all, 27-all, before going ahead 28-27 and ending the set with a Diego Martinez service ace, 29-27.
The Running Eagles then lost sets two and three by sizeable margins (25-20, 25-17) before the thrilling fourth set was again a fight until the end.
Trailing 21-19, the Running Eagles tied the fourth set at 22 apiece before a service error and attacking error tilted the momentum back in favor of the Phoenix. A Life University timeout proved beneficial though, as after the TO the game was leveled again at 24-all. Life U then took a single-point advantage over Cumberland, 26-25, but that was the last time the Running Eagles led as the visiting Phoenix snuck away with a 30-28 win in the fourth and final set.
David Barcan delivered 16 kills in the match with an impressive .519 hitting percentage, while Nikolas Carrascal and Nefty Vigo split primary setter duties with 14 and 21 assists, respectively.
Up next, the Running Eagles turn their attention to the AAX Postseason Tournament set to begin on Thursday, March 30th.
