UNION, N.J. (3/17/23) – Chris Mitchell tallied 17 kills as the Kean University men's volleyball team earned their first Continental Volleyball Conference victory over Eastern Mennonite University, 3-2 on Friday evening.
Rajheem Meulens totaled 12 kills for the Cougars who improve to 10-7 overall and 1-1 in the CVC. Walter Spurlock, Nate McGhee, and David Ward all notched 13 kills apiece for the Royals who fall to 9-9 overall and 1-2 in the CVC.
First Set
- Kean won 26-24.
- The Cougars hit .182, compared to a .098 percentage for the Royals.
- Kean rallied from an 18-12 deficit to close on a 14-6 run.
- Mitchell and Meulens combined for nine kills.
Second Set
- Kean won 25-23.
- EMU posted a .200 hitting percentage, compared to a .135 percentage for the Cougars.
- A back-and-forth set saw both sides trade runs to start.
- The set saw 10 ties and three lead changes.
- The Royals committed three errors on the final four points.
- Maxwell Thompson notched the kill to take the set.
Third Set
- EMU won 25-22.
- The Royals posted a .276 hitting percentage, compared to a .206 hitting percentage for the Cougars.
- The set saw 18 ties and three lead changes.
- Tied 21-21, EMU closed out on a 5-1 run, including two kills from McGhee.
Fourth Set
- EMU won 25-14.
- The Royals hit .320, while the Cougars were held to a -.088 hitting percentage.
- EMU opened on an 11-2 run and didn't look back as the Royals only committed three errors.
Fifth Set
- Kean won 15-11.
- The Cougars hit .222 while holding the Royals to a .077 percentage.
- Kean jumped out to a quick 8-1 advantage, before extending it to 12-5.
- EMU notched five straight points to cut the lead to one at 12-11.
- The Cougars closed out the match with a 3-0 run, behind kills from Thompson and Mitchell.
Inside the Box
- Andrew DuHaime totaled seven kills.
- Thompson finished with six kills, five digs, and three block assists.
- Frankenfield tallied 43 kills, 13 digs, and two kills.
- Cris Naranjo (13) and Aidan Flinn (10) collected double-digit digs.
Head Coach
Bez Arslani and the Cougars will return to action tomorrow, hosting a tri-match with Randolph-Macon College and St. Francis-Brooklyn beginning at 12:00 p.m.