Box Score Due West, S.C. – Erskine hammered out a season-high 65 kills in defeating conference foe Belmont Abbey 3 to 1 (25-21, 24-26, 25-16, 25-23) tonight in men’s volleyball action at Belk Arena.  With the win, the Flying Fleet (4-5, 2-3) snapped a four game losing streak.

In the opening set, Mike Kawa (Debica, Poland, Elk Grove High School) set the tone early crushing two kills to pace the Fleet to an early 6 to 2 lead in the first set.  Later, Kawa knocked down two more kills and Mike Michelau (Bristol, WI, Westosha Central High School) served an ace as the Fleet leapt out to a commanding 20 to 11 advantage.  The Crusaders rallied late to close within two points at 22 to 20 on a kill by Griffin O’Camb but the Fleet prevailed 25 to 21.

The Abbey carried their momentum over into the second set winning it 26 to 24.  Erskine held a slim two-point as the two teams traded points.  The Crusaders took their first lead at 20 to 19 on a block and got back-to-back kills by Nolan Albrecht to seal the victory at 26 to 24.

Leading by one point, Erskine scored four unanswered points, two coming off ball-handling errors by the Crusaders, to stretch their lead to 17 to 12.  Kawa capped off another Fleet run with a kill and Omar Melendez (San Juan, P.R.) knocked down the game point as Erskine won the third set easily 25 to 16.

In the decisive fourth set, neither team gained a decisive advantage until midway through the set.  With the set tied at 13 to 13, the Crusaders scored five of the next six points, two points coming on kills by O’Camb and Albrecht and scoring the other three points with assistance from the Fleet.  The Fleet regrouped to tie the score at 19 to 19.  Again Kawa led the charge with a kill and a block while Michelau and Neal Stanley (Apopka, FL, Seminole State College) both had a kill.  The game remained tied to 22 to 22 when Michelau and Kawa knocked down back-to-back kills to put the Fleet at game point.  After a Fleet attack error, Kawa smashed the game point to win the set 25 to 23 and the match 3 to 1.

Kawa finished with a season-high 19 kills to lead all attackers on the night.  Michelau contributed 16 kills and 11 digs while Melendez and Stanley had 12 and 11 kills respectively.  Setter Corey Marks (Southwest Ranches, FL, Archbishop Edward McCarthy High School) had a stellar night as well, handing out a career-high 44 assists along with 11 digs for his first career “double-double.”

For the Crusaders, O’Camb also earned a “double-double” with a team-high 10 kills and 10 digs.

Erskine hosts Limestone College this Friday night at 7:00 p.m.