It has been nearly 11 months since the Lancaster Bible College men's volleyball team played a match, but the layoff didn't seem to bother the team on Friday night, as the Chargers opened the 2021 season with a 3-0 victory over Carolina University at the NCCAA National Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C.
 
The Chargers, playing at the NCCAA event for the first time in program history, defeated the Bruins, 25-13, 25-12, 25-10. Lancaster Bible is now 1-0 this season, while the Bruins dropped to 0-5.
 
How it Happened: Lancaster Bible raced out to a 5-1 lead in the first frame, as two Bruins errors sandwiched a kill from senior Kyran Flahive. The Chargers won seven of eight points later in the set, as Daniel Keene, Elijah Herb, and Flahive had kills during the scoring run. Lancaster Bible continued its solid play throughout the opening set, and won the frame on a service error by Carolina.
 
Lancaster Bible trailed 4-3 early in the second set, but rattled off 10 of the next 12 points to gain a 13-6 lead, as Caleb Roberts and Keene picked up service aces during the run, and Kevin Koch added a kill. The Chargers put together two more scoring runs during the set as well, and once again took the frame on a service error by the Bruins.
 
The Chargers put the pedal on the floor in the third frame, as they raced out to a 7-0 and 10-1 lead early in the set. A block assist from Hunter Davis and Ethan Sensenig, their second of the scoring run, capped the 10-1 run, and Lancaster Bible never looked back. Zac Keating served brilliantly in the third set, and Joshua Barnes hammered home a kill to win the match.
 
By the Numbers: Lancaster Bible had 28 kills and errors on 58 attempts for a .345 hitting percentage, while the Bruins had 14 kills and 22 errors on 68 attempts for a -.118 attack percentage…Lancaster Bible led in aces, 10-1, and also held a 5-1 edge in blocks, and a 30-17 advantage in digs…Roberts led the Chargers with seven kills on 10 attempts, and also added three aces and two blocks…Flahive had five kills and two aces, while Keene had three kills and two aces…Joshua Barnes had two kills and six digs in his collegiate debut, while Tanner Shertzer added six digs as well…Reuben Kemrer had 18 assists and four digs.
 
News & Notes: This was the first-ever match between the two teams…Carolina University was previously Piedmont Bible College…Lancaster Bible was 8-0 in neutral site matches last season, and has now won 13 straight neutral site matches dating back to January 2019…After breaking a seven year drought last season, the Chargers have now won two straight season-opening matches…Caleb Roberts set a new career high with seven kills on Friday night…His previous career best was five in a victory over St. Elizabeth on Mar. 29, 2019.
 
Up Next: Lancaster Bible will play twice on Saturday, as the Chargers take on Campbellsville (Ky.) at 11:30 a.m. in the final match of pool play…If the Chargers win, they will play in the championship match at 7 p.m. on Saturday night, while a loss will send Lancaster Bible to the 3^rd place match at 4:30 p.m.