The Lancaster Bible College men's volleyball team won its fifth straight match on Saturday afternoon, defeating Wells, 3-0 at Horst Athletic Center. The 10th ranked Chargers are now 21-4 overall and 7-0 in North Eastern Athletic Conference play after their 30-28, 25-21, 25-20 victory over the Express who are now 18-8 overall and 3-3 in NEAC action.
 
How it Happened: Lancaster Bible quickly made it 6-2 early in the first set, as Nate Miller had four kills and a block during the opening run. Wells won four of the next six points to cut the Chargers' advantage to 8-6, but three straight errors by the Express a few points later gave Lancaster Bible a 13-8 lead.
 
After calling timeout, Wells settled down and took nine of the next 12 points, and led 17-15 midway through the set. The Express eventually led, 22-19 after a kill from Caden O'Loughlin, but Lancaster Bible took the next three points, and tied the match at 22-22. After a point from Wells, the Chargers forced set point after a kill from Zeke Hallman and an error by the Express. Wells fought off the set point, and then had one of its own at 26-25, but a kill from Miller saved the Chargers, and the teams went back-and-forth from there. With the set tied at 28-28, Daniel Kreider gave Lancaster Bible its fifth set point, and the Chargers finally won the set on an ace from Kole Horst.
 
Lancaster Bible took control of the second set in the early going, as the Chargers raced out to an 8-3 lead after back-to-back aces from Miller. Just as they had in the first set, the Express battled back, and trailed just 12-11 after a block from O'Loughlin and Robert Patzer. The Chargers wouldn't let the lead slip this time however, as Miller pounded two more kills around an error by Wells. The Chargers maintained a slim lead throughout the rest of the set, and put it away on a kill from Horst that gave Lancaster Bible a two-set lead.
 
The teams traded points to open the third set, but Lancaster Bible took a 13-8 lead after four straight points, as Miller, Horst and Kaleb Ansell had kills during the run. Wells trailed just 20-8 after an error by the Chargers, but a kill from Miller and block from Hallman restored Lancaster Bible's four-point lead, and Miller ended the match with his fourth ace of the day.
 
By the Numbers: Lancaster Bible had 40 kills and 22 errors on 91 attempts for a .198 hitting percentage, while Wells had 36 kills and 21 errors on 101 attempts for a .149 attacking percentage…The Chargers also held a 35-24 advantage in digs, a 10-6 edge in blocks, and a 7-1 advantage in aces…Miller led the Chargers with 17 kills, seven digs, four aces and two blocks, while Horst had eight kills, five digs, two aces and two blocks…Hallman posted four kills and five blocks, while Kreider had three kills and five blocks…Ansell had 34 assists to go with four kills, three blocks and six digs…Kyran Flahive also had four kills, while chipping in with three blocks and six digs…O'Loughlin and Patzer each had 10 kills for the Express.
 
Information Hodge Podge: Lancaster Bible is now 8-7 all-time against Wells…The Chargers defeated the Express, 3-2 a week ago in Aurora, N.Y…Of Lancaster Bible's 21 victories so far this season, 19 have been via the sweep…The Chargers are 10-1 at Horst Athletic Center this season…The 10.5 team blocks on Saturday are a season-best for the Chargers…Lancaster Bible's eight service errors on Saturday are tied for the second-lowest mark of the season…The 19 block assists on Saturday are a season-high.
 
Up Next: Lancaster Bible is on the road next weekend, as they take on St. Elizabeth in Morristown, N.J. on Friday night, followed by a Saturday afternoon match at SUNY Poly in Utica, N.Y. at 2 p.m….Should the Chargers win twice next weekend, they will clinch the NEAC Regular Season Championship, and will be the top seed at next month's NEAC Final Four.