EMU’s volleyball men are 1-0 after beating St. Andrews in their home opener on Sunday, Jan. 26. It took nine games last year for the volleyball men to secure their first win; this year, it took just four sets.
Leading the team with 11 kills each were first-year Ben Childers and sophomore Josh White. Sophomore Drew Bennett added 10 kills. Junior Wyatt Bolinger supplied 26 assists while senior Martin Pou was a force on defense with four block assists.
“It feels great,” Pou said after the game. “It’s a lot of weight off the shoulders, especially with these young guys and how last season went. We wanted to start off right and win, and have that winning mentality.”
Pou, a 6’7” outside hitter, is the team’s only senior. He is joined by five first-years, two sophomores and three juniors.
The 2020 team is the product of a rebuilding process that took place over the past two years. Following a 21-13 season two years ago, the men’s volleyball program collapsed last year to 4-19 after several talented players graduated. Micah Buller ‘18, Tim Callahan ‘18, and William Raglund ‘18 were among those who formed the backbone of the program for several years. Their departure left a gap.
The 2020 crew is young, rebuilt and re-energized. Head Coach Danielle Lickey reflected on the changes after the game.
“It’s a completely different team, really, completely different starters,” Coach Lickey said. “Being able to come out and take that first game starts the season off on the right foot moving forward.”
Pou said he feels confident about the season and looks forward to the work that lies ahead. “We did a lot of great things today, but we also have a lot to work on,” he said, “It was messy, we lost the first set. We definitely need to work on the basics, working together and getting that chemistry going.”
The St. Andrews Knights, from Laurinburg, NC, were a team not to be messed with in mid-south volleyball last season. They went 15-0 in their conference and ranked 10th nationwide in the NAIA.
The Royals’ nerves were on display in the first set as the Knights took over. Down 11-5, Lickey called timeout before the Knights went on a scoring streak, pulling away to 20-11. St. Andrews took the first set 25-19 after holding off a late EMU surge.
EMU regrouped in the second set. White kicked the team into gear on the first play with a kill off of a short back set from Wyatt Bolinger. Sophomore Jacob Durren played a crucial role on offense and defense. His two blocks kept EMU ahead 8-5 and 16-14. Leading 24-23, Durren clinched the second set with a kill.
“Fighting back, even after losing that first set and being able to bring it back together, I think that’s a really good sign for us in the future,” the 6’7 middle blocker said following the game.
The Royals and Knights went to battle in the critical third set. EMU pulled ahead from an 11-11 tie with four straight points. The Royals led 22-21, then 24-22. A St. Andrews blocking error won the Royals the third set, 25-22.
Ahead 17-10 in the fourth set, EMU looked on their way before the Knights crawled back to within one at 21-20. EMU regained their composure before Durren iced the game for the Royals with a solo block and a kill.
Lickey, in her third season as head coach, said the team has a long way to go.
“We have to continue to work on the details; the little things,” Lickey said. “A lot of that, again, is just experience and knowledge and IQ on the court. So being cognizant of those weaknesses and vulnerabilities that we have we’re going to work really hard to have the skill set needed to counterbalance those weaknesses.”
In the locker room, Coach Lickey congratulated the team on holding off St. Andrews and relieved them of practice on Monday.
Ben Durren, an EMU graduate and older brother of Jacob Durren, serves as an assistant coach. Durren said intense practices prepared the EMU volleyball men for Sunday’s season opener.
“A big thing is making sure we’ve had high-intensity practices,” Durren said. “Also, we were able to come back a week earlier than most schools, and so that’s definitely helped. We haven’t been afraid to try new or unique things in practice.”
Of seeing his brother out on the court, Ben said he couldn’t be any prouder.
“I’m so glad to see how much fun he’s had with the game.”
