DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College men's volleyball developmental team defeated Emmanuel University and Belmont Abbey College in straight sets to take home the 2024 Conference Carolinas Men's Volleyball Developmental Championship at Belk Arena on Monday.

Erskine took on Emmanuel in Semifinal #1 to open the tournament and ran away with the opening set down the stretch before holding off the Lions in each of the next two sets to book its spot in the championship match. Kyle Krantz led the Fleet offense with a team-high 9 kills on an impressive .643 hitting percentage. Freshman setter Luis Montalvo dished out 32 assists, setting up kills for nine different Flying Fleet players.

After an extended wait due to five-setters in the second semifinal and the consolation match, it was nearly six hours before Erskine took the floor again, taking on Belmont Abbey in the championship. The Fleet took the opening set, 25-17, and then Allen Faison stole the show to bring the Fleet home. Faison came off the bench to tally a match-leading 12 kills in just two sets, hitting over .400 in the process. The sophomore also powered Erskine from behind in the second set, as the Fleet overcame a 24-23 late deficit, winning each of the final three points, capped by a Faison ace.

Faison was named Tournament MVP, averaging 4.25 kills per set in the two matches and totaling three aces to go with a pair of blocks.

SEMIFINAL STATS vs Emmanuel (3-0 FINAL, 25-18, 25-22, 26-24)
KILLS: Kyle Krantz (9)
ACES: Jacob Mullen (2)
BLOCKS: Tyler Kuehl (5)
ASSISTS: Luis Montalvo (32)
DIGS: Luis Montalvo (9)

THE TEAM
Erskine hit just .273 (37 K / 13 E / 88 TA) for the match, while holding Emmanuel to just an .096 hitting percentage, thanks to 9.5 blocks from the Fleet in the semifinal victory.

FINAL STATS vs Belmont Abbey (3-0 FINAL, 25-17, 26-24, 25-19)
KILLS: Allen Faison (12)
ACES: Allen Faison (3), Noah Van (3)
BLOCKS: Tyler Kuehl (3)
ASSISTS: Luis Montalvo (28)
DIGS: Kyle Krantz (4)

THE TEAM
Erskine hit .264 (33 K / 14 E / 72 TA) for the match and limited the Crusaders to a .159 hitting percentage. The Fleet were also plus-5 in the ace column, 8 to 3, to bring home the title.

WHAT'S NEXT? 
Erskine will hope to retain its Conference Carolinas Developmental crown, when the tournament returns in 2025.

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

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