SALEM, Va. (EMU Athletics) – In the words of Yogi Berra, “It’s like Déjà Vu all over again,” as the Royals visited the Maroons of Roanoke College in the ODAC semifinals for the second straight season.

But this time, the outcome was very different. A year after getting swept out of the tournament by Roanoke, EMU got its revenge, picking up a thrilling 3-2 (24-26, 25-22, 25-14, 23-25, 15-13) win to advance to Saturday’s ODAC Championship.

Records: 13-18, 6-10 ODAC | Roanoke 21-8, 14-2 ODAC

Highlights
Set One: Roanoke 26, EMU 24
• The match opened up even, as things were tied at five through the first 10 points. A Roanoke error and a Daeman Odom ace put the Royals ahead by two and they would continue to lead until the Maroons went on a 4-0 run to pull in front 11-9.
• The teams continued to swap point, and RC was able to extend their lead to 17-12 after a 5-1 run. The teams once again traded points and it looked like Roanoke was going to run away with the first set, getting to set point at 24-18.
• EMU came alive, trailing by six, going on a 6-0 run, highlighted by a kill from Pierce Donnelly and an ace from Diego Morales Torres, to tie things at 24 and send the set to extras. Unfortunately for the Royals, Roanoke picked up back-to-back kills in the next two points to take a 1-0 match lead.

Set Two: EMU 25, Roanoke 22
• Things started out even once again until, like set one, EMU picked up two kills in a row, both from Odom, to lead 6-4 after 10 points.
• A few points later, with the Royals leading 10-7 after a kill from James Powell, Roanoke tied things up with a 3-0 run. The teams swapped two points and then a point each, keeping it tied at 13. But then EMU was able to surge ahead with a 9-2 tilt, including three kills from Ezekiel Awkward, two from Derek Diaz and an Awkward/Powell/Donnelly block.
• Roanoke answered with a 7-2 run of their own, making things interesting late at 24-22. But Odom finished things off with a kill, tying the match at one apiece.

Set Three: EMU 25, Roanoke 14
• With things tied at three to start the third, EMU opened up a big lead with a 6-1 run, including a Diaz ace, an Odom kill and a solo block from Powell.
• Roanoke pulled within three at 10-7, but the Royals went on another run, this time 8-1, highlighted by three Melendez kills and a pair of aces, to open up a 10-point lead, 18-8. RC would cut its deficit to eight, but EMU answered with a 4-1 tilt, with two kills and a block, putting them on top by 11. The Maroons would pick up three more points in the set, but an attack error put the Royals ahead two sets to one.

Set Four: Roanoke 25, EMU 23
• It was dead even at nine through the first 18 points of set four, until Roanoke went on a 5-0 run to lead 14-9.
• EMU grabbed four of those points right back with a pair of RC errors, an Awkward ace and a Powell block, and the teams then swapped points to a 16-16 tie after back-to-back kills from Melendez and Odom.
• The Maroons pushed ahead with a 4-0 run and would continue to lead by multiple points until, trailing 23-20, EMU used back-to-back kills from Melendez to pull within one, 23-22. After a Roanoke kill, Melendez racked up another, but a Maroon kill sent the match to a fifth and final set.

Set Five: EMU 15, Roanoke 13
• This time it was Roanoke pulling out to an early lead, taking a 3-1 advantage early on. EMU answered with a 5-1 run, highlighted by kills from Powell, Melendez and Odom, to lead 6-4.
• After an RC kill pulled them within one, EMU went on another run, 4-0, to extend their lead to 10-5. Roanoke won the next three points, but EMU picked up the next two after a service error and a Donnelly kill.
• Four points from RC sandwiched a Diaz kill, making the score 14-13 EMU and ensuring that the final set would end in dramatic fashion. But a Melendez kill quieted the home crowd and secured the upset win for EMU.

Statistical Leaders
Kills: Melendez (18), Odom (17), Donnelly (11)
Assists: Ricky Fernandez (29), Jonas Stafford (26)
Digs: Diaz (15), Fernandez and Awkward (12)
Aces: Awkward and Morales Torres (2)
Blocks: Powell (5), Odom and Donnelly (4)

What’s Next
EMU will head to Ashland on Saturday to play top-seeded and #17 nationally-ranked Randolph Macon in the ODAC Championship. First serve against the Yellow Jackets is set for 2:00 pm.

— EMU Athletics —