Bristol, Tenn. – The Golden Eagles men's volleyball program traveled to the King University Tournament this weekend where they picked up three wins. Charleston improved to 5-0, not dropping a set on the season. Charleston is off to the best start in program history after their performance this weekend.
 
The Basics:
Location: Kline Gym
Score: UC  3, LMU 0
Records: UC 3-0 (0-0 EIVA), Lincoln Memorial 3-4
 
How it Happened:
The Golden Eagles were ready to face their first opponent of the weekend in the Railsplitters of Lincoln Memorial in Thursday's afternoon match. In set one, Charleston opened the scoring and jumped out to an early 6-2 lead. From there, a Golden Eagle service error allowed the Railsplitters to side out and eventually even the score at 7-7. The next few points were traded back and forth until three kills from Charleston's Lachlan Bray gave the Golden Eagles the five-point advantage, 20-15. From there the Golden Eagles ran away with set one with a final score of 25-18. Charleston was led by the offense of Bray with six kills and Garret Schnitker with four in the set.
 
In set two, the teams traded side outs for the first few points of the match, but Charleston quickly began to run away with the set. With the set tied at four all, Charleston went on a four-point run off the serve of Will Kimenhour and the Golden Eagles never looked back for the remainder of the set. The Golden Eagles held the Railsplitters to just fourteen points, taking the set 25-14. Bray had five kills followed by Luuk Hoge Bavel's four kills and one block in the set.
 
Set three started out very back and forth, both teams continuing to trade side outs. The Golden Eagles began to pull away from the Railsplitters when Hoge Bavel went on a three-point serving run forcing a Lincoln Memorial timeout at 17-12 Charleston. From there the Railsplitters brought the game back within two points, 18-16, but Charleston shut down any hopes Lincoln Memorial had when they went on a four-point run off Diego Villafane's serve. Th Golden Eagles closed out the set 25-17, completing the match sweep over Lincoln Memorial.
 
Charleston was led by kill leader Lachlan Bray with 13, Garret Schnitker with 9, and Luuk Hoge Bavel with 6. Diego Villafane led the match in assists with 28 and Ismael Sneed dominated on defense with 8 blocks.
 
The Basics:
Location: Kline Gym
Score: UC  3, QU 0
Records: UC 4-0 (0-0 EIVA), Quincy 1-3
 
How it Happened:
Both teams entered Friday's match with three games under their belt, Charleston with three wins and Quincy 1-2 on the season. Charleston set the tempo from point one when Ismael Sneed got a kill to lead off the match. The game was back and forth for the first half of the set, trading side outs until the Golden Eagles went on a four-point run pulling away 12-8. Quincy brought the set back within one but several kills from Luuk Hoge Bavel along with a few Quincy service errors allowed the Golden Eagles to take set one 25-19.
 
Charleston dominated in set two, taking the set by ten, 25-15.  Charleston had 14 kills in 22 attempts for a .545 hitting percentage in the set compared to Quincy's .069 hitting percentage.
 
Set three was much tighter with neither team having more than a three-point lead at any time during the set. Charleston opened the set with a 3-0 lead with the help of back-to-back-to-back kills, but from there the set began to be very back and forth. The set was tight at 23-22 Charleston, but a Quincy service error gave Charleston the advantage and the two-point lead. Quincy saw a glimmer of hope when a Golden Eagle service error gave Quincy back the serve, but Tony Harris silenced all chances when he ended the match with a Charleston kill, 25-23.
 
In the match, Charleston posted a .435 hitting percentage with 43 kills in 69 attempts. The Golden Eagles also had six blocks and four aces in the match picking up their fourth sweep of the season.
 
The Basics:
Location: Kline Gym
Score: UC  3, KU 0
Records: UC 4-0 (0-0 EIVA), King 1-7
 
How it Happened:
Entering match three of the weekend the Golden Eagles were looking to pick up another win on their way out of town, but the start of set one against King University was the opposite of smooth. The first few points of the game were not pretty for either side, but the Tornado took the early lead 7-6, Charleston only down by one. It was from this point in the set  that things went south for the Golden Eagles. King went on a 6-1 scoring run, now leading 14-7 forcing head coach Luke Reynolds to take a much-needed timeout for the Golden Eagles. Charleston scored two, but King answered right back with three points with the score now at 17-9 in favor of the Tornado. Coach Reynolds once again called a crucial timeout in which the Golden Eagles responded to with an 8-1 scoring run bringing the game back within one, 18-17 King. The Tornado then forced to take a timeout of their own came out of the huddle and scored three, but the Golden Eagles answered right back. Charleston matched their three points bringing the game to 21-20 King. King's Jackson Carroll broke that streak with a kill but that would be the last point for the Tornado in set one as the Golden Eagles went on to score five and close out set one 25-22.
 
After a big come from behind victory in set one, Charleston was running on all cylinders in set two, taking the set by 11, 25-14 over the Tornado. Charleston went on several scoring runs, dominating on offense and leaving no hope for the Tornado in the second set.
 
Up two sets to none, Charleston only had one goal in mind heading into set three, the sweep. Both teams traded side outs until the Golden Eagles began to pull away at 9-9. Charleston went on a 7-3 run highlighted by several kills to lead the set 16-12. With the end of the match in sight, Charleston continued to pull away from the Tornado, outscoring them 8-4 in the final points of the set. Charleston finished out the set 25-16 outhitting the Tornado .448% to .156%.
 
Diego Villafane helped the offense with 31 assists to highlight Lachlan Bray's 11 kills and Garret Schnitker's 10 kills.
 
Up Next:
Charleston will host Thomas More on Friday, January 27^th at 7:00PM and Tusculum University on Saturday, January 28^th at 7:00PM.