Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Both squads had its highest hitting percentage of the season on Sunday afternoon in a 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-15) Conference Carolinas men's volleyball victory by visiting Lees-McRae College over host Barton College in Wilson Gym.
Freshman Joshua Jones had a perfect day for the Bobcats, stuffing away all nine of his swings for kills. Lees-McRae hits .438 to even its overall record to 3-3 and start league play at 1-0. The Bulldogs hit .152 but remained winless at 0-7 and 0-4.
Barton received a team-high six kills from freshman Zach McCalla while freshman T.J. Daley and sophomore Alx Draughan each provided the Bulldogs with four spikes. Freshman Jordan Robison set up BC's offense with 15 assists. McCalla and sophomore Tyler Malpass each made three digs. Malpas and freshman Tanner Medina both had one solo block and two block assists.
Jones was not the only Bobcat to hit 1.000 as junior Edmond Walkley had perfect 5-of-5 swings in the third set for LMC. Sophomore Efrain Negron, the league leader in digs per set, lifted up a match-high five digs.
Lees-McRae served up 12 aces with the sophomore duo of Jose Ribas and Chris Flood each tallying four aces. Classmate Randy Ramirez added a match-high 31 assists for the visitors.
The first set was tightly contested throughout with eight ties and five lead changes. Daley drilled a kill to give Barton its last lead at 15-14 before Lees-McRae answered with a decisive 5-1 run. A Flood ace on set point sealed the six-point win.
The Bobcats kept the momentum jumping out to a 10-2 lead in the middle set before taking the commanding 2-0 set lead with the 10-point victory. The early run by LMC was highlighted by three consecutive aces by Ribas.
Lees-McRae never trailed in the third set as well and after trading the first two points went on a 8-2 surge to gain some room in front. Barton only trailed by six at 19-13 but the Bobcats closed out the match by winning six of the last eight points. Freshman Brennan O'Connor came off the bench with two kills on five attempts in the final frame.
The Royal Blue and White committed a season-low 10 attacking misfires but did made a season-worst 12 reception errors.
Barton will next host local league rival Mount Olive College for the first time on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.
