FAIRFAX, Va. – The Patriots suffered a tough loss in five sets to the #14 University of Charleston Golden Eagles at the RAC tonight.
Although the Patriots started off hot, their numerous service errors were insurmountable as they almost doubled the Golden Eagles (25-18, 29-27, 21-25, 22-25, 12-15).
Coming into this game, the Golden Eagles had not surrendered a set to any of their opponents. The Patriots were not frightened by that and came out swinging. In the first set, the Patriots had five runs of three straight points.
This allowed them to establish an early 10-5 lead, one that would only increase (25-18). A large part of this was due to teamwork as the Patriots had more set assists and blocks and fewer attacking errors.
In the second, the Golden Eagles started out with a three-point lead at 6-3 but could not increase that margin. Neither team led by more than two points the rest of the set.
Jack Bolz finally sealed the deal with an ace at 29-27.
The Patriots started to struggle in the third, as they gave up seven points to service errors and two to receiving errors (21-25).
When the fourth came around, the Golden Eagles started to take all the momentum. They took an early 12-7 lead and held it till 19-13. The set appeared to be pretty much over, but the Patriots had other ideas. They would rattle off five straight in part to two
Omar Hoyos kills and an ace by
Colin Heath. The Patriots would lose the set by three (22-25) but got the crowd back into it.
The fifth really looked like it could go either way. The Golden Eagles would lead at 7-5, but then the Patriots reclaimed it at 8-7 and 11-10. Unfortunately, the Patriots would give up the next four and the set would end 12-15.
The Patriots will look to seek revenge tomorrow as they play the Golden Eagles again at 5:00 P.M. in the RAC.
By the Numbers
- Omar Hoyos tallied a career-high 24 kills in one match
- The Patriots had 30 service errors to the Golden Eagles 16
- The Golden Eagles also led in blocks 14 to 9.5
- Georgi Zahariev had 40 set assists
- The Patriots had 11 aces to the Golden Eagles 5
