Box Score l Updated Stats

UNION, NJ – Eastern Mennonite won the final two sets Friday night to hand No.7 Nazareth a 25-16, 21-25, 21-25, 25-21, 16-14 loss in the first match of the Clash at Kean.

Nazareth drops to 4-2 on the year with the loss, while Eastern Mennonite improves to 3-2. 

After dropping the opening set, Nazareth stormed back to win consecutive sets by a 25-21 margin.  The Golden Flyers put together their best set in the second, hitting .700 with 15 kills on 20 attempts with just one error.   In the third set, Nazareth and the Royals were even at 20 before the Golden Flyers pulled away.  Zachary Gillard put down a pair of kills on the run and Kane Wittorff notched a service ace.

In a close fourth set, Eastern Mennonite scored the final four points of the set to force a fifth and deciding set.

The Royals led 12-9, before Tom Keisling recorded three straight kills and Eastern Mennonite had an attack error to give Nazareth a 13-12 lead.

Nazareth, however, could not capitalize and Eastern Mennonite pulled off the upset.

Gillard had 14 kills on a .257 attack percentage, to go along with five service aces.  Sam Bittker put down 10 kills (.240).

Wittorf contributed eight kills of his own and three blocks.

Nazareth will close out the Clash at Kean with two matches on Saturday.  The Golden Flyers will square off against Hunter at 11:30 am and No. 10 Kean at 2 p.m.