BLUEFIELD, Va. -- The University of Lynchburg men's volleyball team split its Saturday slate at The Dome, dropping a five-set thriller to Bluefield before falling in straight sets to Rio Grande.
Game 1 – Bluefield 3, Lynchburg 2
(26-28, 25-16, 30-32, 25-22, 15-13)
Lynchburg (2-2) battled through a back-and-forth, five-set marathon but ultimately came up just short in a 3-2 loss to Bluefield (1-2) to open the day.
Joshua Davis led Lynchburg offensively with 16 kills, while Mason Kenna and Nick Redding each added 12 kills. Will Radi orchestrated the offense with a match-high 45 assists, helping the Hornets finish with 61 kills on the afternoon.
The Hornets showed resilience early, responding to a narrow first-set loss by dominating the second set behind a balanced attack and strong defensive play. After dropping a tightly contested third set, Lynchburg answered again in the fourth, evening the match with a 25-22 win to force a decisive fifth set.
The final frame featured multiple lead changes, but Bluefield edged out the Hornets late to secure the victory.
Defensively, Redding and Bryce Jackson anchored the net with three blocks apiece, while Brayden Berardo paced the back row with 15 digs. Kenna chipped in 14 digs as Lynchburg posted 54 total digs in the match.
Game 2 – Rio Grande 3, Lynchburg 0
(25-19, 25-19, 25-18)
In the second match of the day, Lynchburg ran into a sharp Rio Grande (4-2) squad, falling in straight sets.
Joshua Davis led Lynchburg with nine kills, while Nick Redding added eight. Mason Kenna chipped in five kills, and Will Radi recorded 15 assists.
The Hornets stayed within striking distance throughout the opening set but struggled to find offensive rhythm against Rio Grande's efficient attack. The RedStorm maintained control across all three frames, capitalizing on service pressure and defensive consistency.
\At the net, Redding posted three blocks, with Stefan Kapitanov and Bryce Jackson adding two apiece. Brayden Berardo once again led the Hornets defensively, finishing with six digs.
