The Lancaster Bible College men's volleyball team was a set away from winning its second-straight North Eastern Athletic Conference championship on Sunday, but Wells battled back from two set down, and then took the fifth and deciding set, and defeated the Chargers, 3-2 in the NEAC Final. No. 10 Lancaster Bible's record drops to 26-5 overall, while the Express improve to 27-8. Wells won, 12-25, 23-25, 26-24, 25-22, 15-13.
 
Wells earns the NEAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, while the Chargers will hold onto a slim hope that they receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
 
How it Happened: Lancaster Bible led 10-7 early in the first set after back-to-back aces from Kyran Flahive, and eventually led, 11-9 after a point from Wells. A kill from Nate Miller made it 12-9, and Reuben Kemrer embarked on ten straight serves, as the Chargers turned a three-point lead, into a 10-point advantage, 22-9. Kemrer had one ace during the run, while Miller added three kills and two blocks. The Chargers wrapped up the set a few points later, as Flahive hammered home a kill.
 
Wells led 9-6 early in the second set, and eventually rattled off five straight points to grab a 15-9 advantage midway through the set. The Chargers didn't panic, and won six of seven points to trail, 16-15 after a kill from Miller. The Express rebuilt the lead to 21-19, but a kill from Daniel Kreider, followed by a block from Kaleb Ansell and Kreider tied the set at 21-21. The teams exchanged points to 23-23, but Miller earned a kill to give the Chargers set point, and Ansell sealed the second frame with an ace, and put the Chargers ahead, 2-0.
 
The teams went back-and-forth for the entire third set, though Wells won five of six points late in the set to take a 20-17 lead. Lancaster Bible answered with three straight points thanks to two kills from Miller and an error by the Express, and the teams again exchanged points to 21-21. A kill from Ryan Turner, followed by a block and a kill from Caden O'Loughlin gave the Express set point, but Lancaster Bible fought all three of them off thanks to a kill and ace from Miller, followed by a block from Zeke Hallman. After a service error from the Chargers, Robert Patzer served an ace, and got Wells on the board, and extended the match to the fourth set.
 
Wells kept the momentum going in the fourth, and led 9-5 after an ace from O'Loughlin. An error by the Express, followed by a kill from Kole Horst brought the Chargers to within two, and Lancaster Bible cut it to 13-12 a few points later on another kill from Miller. The Express wouldn't be denied in the fourth set however, as they never let Lancaster Bible get on a scoring run, and took the fourth frame on a block by Josh Undari and Justin Williams.
 
The fifth and final set was a classic, as Lancaster Bible jumped out to a 6-3 lead on a kill from Miller, and eventually led, 8-6 as the teams switched sides. The teams went back-and-forth, and Lancaster Bible took an 11-9 lead on a block from Kreider, and then led 13-11 after a service error from Wells. A service error from the Chargers followed, and O'Loughlin's 16th kill of the match tied the set at 13-13. After a Chargers timeout, O'Loughlin fired an ace, give the visitors championship point, and Patzer finished off the match with a kill, giving Wells their first-ever NEAC Men's Volleyball Title.
 
By the Numbers: Lancaster Bible had 55 kills and 22 errors on 137 attempts for a .241 hitting percentage, while Wells had 57 kills and 30 errors on 158 attempts for a .171 attack percentage…Miller finished with 30 kills, nine digs and five blocks, while Horst had 10 kills, 19 digs and a block…Flahive finished with six kills, two aces and two blocks, while Hallman had four kills and seven blocks…Kreider ended his terrific career with four kills and three blocks…Ansell had 47 assists to go with 11 digs and four blocks…Patzer and O'Loughlin each had 16 kills for the Express.
 
Information Hodge Podge: Lancaster Bible is now 8-8 all-time against Wells…The Chargers have appeared in the NEAC Final four times, and are 1-3 in those matches, falling in the championship in 2013, 2014 and 2019…In the seven years the NEAC has awarded a men's volleyball champion, six different teams have won the title…O'Loughlin was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player…The 30 kills for Miller are the third time in his career he has fired 30 or more kills in a match…Lancaster Bible finishes the season with a 13-2 record at Horst Athletic Center.
 
The NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship Selection Show can be seen at 10 a.m. on Monday morning.