Big Conference Win for Eagles Volleyball!

David Finney | photos by G-Rox Photography

Waleska, GA - Eagles Volleyball put it all together in their Wednesday night match against Life University. This could very well be the Eagles' best match of the season so far. The two teams met back in late February in Marietta with a narrow five-set loss for the Eagles. This time it was on the familiar court at The Brown Athletic Center and the Eagles made the most of the opportunity.

The first and fourth sets were both won in dominant fashion with the first one, 25-20, and the fourth, 25-16. Reinhardt was able to win the second set but it was one that could have gone either way. The Eagles were able to hold on for the win, 25-23. Reinhardt had a three-point lead midway through the set and actually extended it to 21-16, but Life was able to come back to make it a close game. A late three-point rally by Life brought the score to just two points, 23-21. John Hynes got a kill to put the Eagles up, 24-22, and Life would answer with a kill of their own to make it 24-23. The final point would be decided on a service error giving the Eagles the second set win, 25-23

The third set was the one set where the Eagles somewhat shut down for a moment in the match. Life was determined to make a comeback and they took off in the third set and won it walking away with a commanding win, 25-16. Coach Goodhind rallied his guys after this set loss and got them focusing again on the task at hand. The Eagles turned around in the fourth set and repeated what just happened to them back on Life, however, this set was close until about the midway point.  This is when the Eagles were able to get up 17-13 on a kill by Chase Cross. Reinhardt never looked back from this point and ran away with the win. Several Eagles stepped up in the final points to keep Reinhardt with their lead. Troy Sly, John Hynes, Matthew Corrales, Bruno Dewes, and others all put it on the line to get the win for Reinhardt, 25-16. It was a great moment for the team and you could see a difference in the way they played against a very talented and skilled Life University team. The team took another step up the ladder on Wednesday night.

Chase Cross would lead the Eagles with 14 kills and 7 digs. Matthew Corrales would have 13 kills and 5 digs. John Hynes would have 10 kills and Troy Sly would add 5. Bruno Dewes was in his usual form setting up the guys with an amazing total of 39 assists. Ricardo Mujica would lead the Eagles in digs with 13.

Coach Goodhind had this to say about the big win for the Eagles, "Tonight was a huge win for this program. We have a lot of respect for Life University Volleyball. That Men's team had been a top 15 team in the country for the last few years. They have a ton of talent, they are well-coached and that's a game we are 100% not favored to win. I couldn't be happier for the guys that started this program three years ago and for them to have that feeling of what a true signature win feels like. That's the type of win they will remember for years to come. When the clock strikes midnight, it will be behind us and this team will go back to 0-0 and we will try again to go 1-0 vs our next opponent. As big as this was I want to give thanks to God, All the Honor and Glory goes to HIM!"

The Eagles will be on the road next with a match with Morehouse University in Atlanta on March 16th and then a conference pod on March 18th and 19th as they start to finish up their regular season. In the conference pod, they will pick up games against Rio Grand, Thomas More, Cumberland, and Campbellsville. This will be a great test for the Eagles because all the teams are very talented, but this team is up for the challenge. After the conference pod, they will end their regular season with home matches with St. Andrews and Truett McConnell.