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SVU Men’s Netters Enter Postseason Unbeaten
The Southern Virginia University men's volleyball team, ranked No. 1 in all of Division III, capped off its regular season in spectacular fashion, maintaining its flawless record with a decisive 3-0 home win over Randolph-Macon College.
In a tightly contested first set, the Knights (26-0 overall, 8-0 Continental Volleyball Conference) engaged in a back-and-forth battle until they seized control with an impressive eight-point run, powered by three consecutive service aces from Tyler Sheaffer. They ultimately secured the set 25-17. Continuing its dominance, SVU unleashed a barrage of service aces in the second set, this time from Jeremy Brown, leading to a commanding 25-9 victory. Despite a spirited effort from Randolph-Macon (18-10, 5-3), the Knights maintained their composure in the third set, navigating through three early lead changes. Crucial kills from Christian Sheaffer shifted the momentum in Southern Virginia's favor, culminating in a thrilling 25-23 set win, sealed by a Kyler Evans kill.
Christian Sheaffer led the charge with a match-high 12 kills, closely followed by Kristo Bianchin with nine kills of his own. At the net, the Knights showcased their defensive prowess, with Christian Sheaffer and Bianchin leading the block party with six and five blocks, respectively.
Tyler Sheaffer’s 36 assists not only propelled him to the top spot in school history with an average of 10.38 assists per set, but they also secured him fourth place in all of Division III this season.
The Knights' eight blocks and service aces, coupled with a .500 hitting percentage, underscored their talent across the court.
As the Knights celebrate this triumph, their focus turns to the Continental Volleyball Conference semifinals. Having earned an automatic bye in the first round due to their top placement in the conference, the Knights eagerly await their matchup against the winner of Randolph-Macon and Eastern Mennonite before facing them this Friday in Lexington. For the match location, time and updates, visit knightathletics.com.
VMI’s Starke Named SoCon Player Of Month
Virginia Military Institute redshirt senior Justin Starke put up monster numbers in March to earn Southern Conference baseball player of the month for the second time in his career on Friday. This is the fourth award of its kind in program history and the first for Starke since 2021.
Starke broke out at the plate in March, hitting .441 with 30 hits, four doubles, and 16 RBI. He slugged .794 with six homers and 16 RBI. Starke's .571 on-base percentage was top-notch as he drew a team-leading 19 walks. At the beginning of the season, Starke was named 2024 SoCon preseason player of the year.
The Keydets went 11-9 in March, winning four series including the SoCon home opener over Wofford. As a team, VMI slashed .308/.520/.420 and stole 59 bases in 20 games.
Going into last weekend, Starke is top 25 in the nation in batting average (.435), hits (47), on-base percentage (.555), sacrifice flies (4), runs (39), and total bases (85). Keep an eye on the record book as Starke has his name in the top 10 in seven categories, before last weekend, was just 10 runs away from breaking the all-time runs record set by current VMI head coach Sam Roberts.
Through last weekend’s games, the Keydets were 17-18 overall and 2-4 in the SoCon.
Today, Wednesday, they’re scheduled to play host to George Mason at 6 p.m. at Gray-Minor Stadium.
For the Keydets’ schedule and updates, visit www.vmikeydets.com.
