The Lancaster Bible College Men's Volleyball team opened up their 2026 season on the road on Friday night, taking on Roanoke in Salem, Va. and losing in straight sets 3-0. The Chargers start at 0-1 overall while the Maroons begin their season 1-0 overall.
 
How it Happened:
The Maroons got off to a fast start as they took a 6-1 lead while Carson Hoover (Jr.) had the Chargers' first kill of the season, then Jaiden Flanagan (Jr.) had a kill and a block back-to-back to cut it to three. The teams then traded three-point runs followed by a Kevin Bryant (Jr.) kill to make it 14-12, but Roanoke responded with five straight points to take a big lead. A late Chargers run was not enough as the Maroons took the first set 25-19.
 
The Chargers kept close early as Bryant and Flanagan each had kills, but Roanoke took off with five in a row to take a 10-4 advantage. The Chargers responded with four straight points including the first career ace for Matt Degan (Fr.), but the Maroons rattled off seven of the next eight points to take back momentum. A kill by Braden Escover (Fr.) capped a four-point burst for LBC to swing back, then a late run of three points brought the Chargers back within two after two more Escover kills. The Maroons closed strong with five of the last six points, taking the second set again 25-19.
 
The Chargers grabbed their only lead of the match as they led 2-0 in set three, with Roanoke swinging ahead 3-2 before a kill by Bryant. LBC tied the set at five on a Flanagan kill before Roanoke scored six of the next seven to take a five-point lead. Nicholas Marion (Sr.) had a kill that sparked a 5-1 run behind two big LBC blocks, tying the score at 13 and then again at 14 and 15 as Timothy Fletcher (So.) assisted on two kills. However, Roanoke closed on a six-point run, ended the set 25-18 and sweeping the Chargers to open the season.
 
By the Numbers:
- The Maroons led in every category, dominating in kills 42-25 and service aces 5-2
- Jaiden Flanagan led the Chargers with eight kills
- Braden Escover had six kills and five digs in his first career game
- Timothy Fletcher dished 19 assists and Nicholas Marion led the team with 11 digs
- The Maroons were led by Cade Kinne with a match-high 13 kills
 
Information to Know:
The Chargers are now 1-1 all-time against Roanoke, winning last season's matchup in five sets at home over the Maroons. This is the first time the Chargers have lost their season opener since 2019 and their fifth straight non-conference road loss dating back to last season.
 
Up Next:
The Chargers have their home opener on Thursday, January 15 as they host (RV) Marymount (Va.) at 7:00 p.m. in the Horst Athletic Center.