Southern Virginia University's undefeated men's volleyball team continued their dominant season, advancing to the Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC) Championship after sweeping Eastern Mennonite University Royals in three sets: 25-10, 25-23, 25-11.
Southern Virginia asserted their dominance early in the opening set, establishing a 5-0 lead with kills from Kyler Evans, Christian Sheaffer, and Tyler Sheaffer. The Knights capitalized on service aces, scoring six of their 12 points to take a commanding 15-4 lead. They closed out the set with three more service aces in their last four points, securing a resounding 25-10 victory and displaying a match-high .524 hitting percentage, showcasing their control of the game.
In the second set, Eastern Mennonite staged an incredible rebound, stunning Southern Virginia by grabbing the lead at 11-7. However, kills from Brown brought the score closer, and then the Knights surged ahead with five straight points, including two aces from Samuel Candland. Southern Virginia maintained their lead, with a kill by Christian Sheaffer igniting the arena, ultimately sealing the set with a 25-23 victory.
The third set saw a spirited effort from the Royals, keeping the game close in the beginning before the Knights surged ahead with back-to-back aces from Candland to regain momentum. Southern Virginia then embarked on a dominant 9-1 run, with Candland, Brown, and Christian Sheaffer leading the charge.
Candland sealed the win with three consecutive service aces to clinch the last set and propel the Knights to the Continental Volleyball Conference Championship, where they aim to secure their third conference title after previous victories in 2021 and 2019.
Southern Virginia achieved a season-high in service aces with 20, marking their second-highest percentage in university history. Samuel Candland's exceptional performance tied him for the most service aces in a game in school history, where he sits alongside Curtis Stone, with eight aces.
Christian Sheaffer tallied a game-high 12 kills, while Jeremy Brown contributed 12 digs.
STORY COURTESY OF SOUTHERN VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION