Southern Exposure\u2019s Defense Big Factor in Victory Over Team Freedom<\/b><\/p>\n

Southern Exposure\u2019s 39 attack points enough to overcome Team Freedom\u2019s 53 attack points thanks to good defensive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Middle blocker #12 Matt Seifert delivered a monster kill that led to a Team Freedom mini run to take an early lead. Team Freedom\u2019s middle blocker #6 Doug Dzema scored three consecutive points on a kill off the block and two blocks in a row for a 6-2 lead. Southern Exposure started slow and committed three service errors and one hitting error that helped Southern Exposure increase their lead to eight points 16-8 at the media timeout. Team Freedom scored their points on kills by Seifert, #4 Matt Elias, #18 Jonathon Lutz and #8 Besmir Arsiani. Southern Exposure scored points from 6 of their 8 points from Team Freedom\u2019s service and hitting errors and two kills from #2 Eddie Moushikhian and #11 Kevin Rocklein. Southern Exposure rallied back with three mini runs to cut the deficit to two at 22-20. Their points came from kills by Moushikhian, #13 Chad Mercado, middle blocker #12 Uchenna Ofoha and blocks by #8 middle blocker Tim Lourich and #15 setter Derrick Sullivan. Southern Exposure eventually tied the set at 23-23. After a Team Freedom timeout, Southern Exposure scored the last two points from back-to-back service aces by Mercado.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both teams sided out well for most of set number two. Team Freedom took an early 2-point lead at 8-6. But Southern Exposure rallied back and took a 3-point lead at 11-8. Team Freedom scored their points on kills by #19 Jeffery Nelson, Lutz and Arsiani and Southern Exposure from kills by Rocklein and Moushikhian. Team Freedom rallied back at to tie the set at 16-16 on service ace by Dzema, kill by Nelson and kill and block by Seifert. After a media timeout a kill by Moushikhian gave Team Freedom a 1-point lead to 17-16 which they never relinquished. Team Freedom increased their lead and closed out the set with kills by Moushikhian, Lutz and Nelson. Seifert score the last point on a block for a 25-18 win.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Southern Exposure dominated set number three that started with a 5-0 run from two Team Freedom hitting errors and kills by Mercado and #8 middle blocker Tim Lourich and block by Lourich. At 9-4 Southern Exposure increased their lead to 7 points at the media timeout with a combination of Team Freedom hitting errors and kills by Seifert, Dzema, Arsiani and Mercado for a 16-9 lead. The only offense Teams Freedom mustered was from Lutz who had 5 consecutive kills. For the rest of the set the only other scores for Team Freedom came on kills by #2 Jake Rosner, Dzema and Nelson. Southern Exposure closed out the set with two consecutive service aces by Rocklein, one kill and one service ace by Ofoha. The set ended on a service error by Team Freedom at 25-15.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Southern Exposure continued their scoring run in set number four with a 4-0 run on a line kill by Moushikhian back-to-back blocks by Lourich and kill by Lourich. But Team Freedom turned quickly rebounded and tied the score at 4-4 on two Southern Exposure hitting errors and Seifert kill and block. Southern Exposure countered back and took a one point lead until Team Freedom tied the set at 10-10. Team Freedom took the lead thanks to two consecutive Southern Exposure hitting errors, Lutz block, Nelson deep angle kill and kill off the block for a 16-12 score at the media timeout. Team Freedom increased their lead to 6 points at 23-17 and won the set on a Seifert kill 25-19.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Team Freedom captured the early lead in set number five 3-1 from a Southern Exposure hitting error and Seifert block. Team Freedom kept their lead on kills by Dzema and Rosner until 9-9. A Team Freedom hitting error during transition gave Southern the lead at 10-9. A lead they never relinquished. After Team Freedom called a timeout at 11-9, Southern Exposure scored two consecutive points and took a 13-10 lead on a kill by #1 Tyler-Neil Hubbard and block by Lourich. Southern Exposure won the set and match on a Team Freedom hitting error 15-12.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Team Freedom\u2019s Jonathon Lutz led all players with 20 kills and his teammates Joe Norman 9 kills and Doug Dzema 7 kills. Southern Exposure\u2019s Uchenna Ofoha led his team with 10 kills followed by Kevin Rocklin with 8 kills and Eddie Moushikhian and Chad Mercado with 6 kills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Southern Exposure Defeat the Stingers in a 5 Set Marathon\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Without a doubt this match between the Stingers was the most competitive and longest of the 2021 NVA season. It also established two NVA records that may took a long time to break or never surpass. The match unofficially lasted 2 hours, 54 minutes and 47 seconds and all five sets went into overtime.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another interesting aspect of this marathon battle was that it matched up last year\u2019s NVA Champions the Stingers against Southern Exposure, a team who did not win one match last year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stingers and Southern Exposure entertained the volleyball fans with some spectacular and crazy plays and rallies; a line-up rarely seen in volleyball when the Stingers played set number four with Jake Langlois in the middle blocker position and stayed on the back row in the fourth set; and a very rare ineligible substitution that resulted in a red card penalty for a delay of game at a crucial point with the score tied 27-27, which also occurred in the fourth set.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stingers\u2019 Jake Langlois #10 scored the first point on a kill to start the match, and Southern Exposure\u2019s Tyler Neil-Hubbard countered with a kill to tie the set. For the first half of the set both teams sided-out well and exchanged one and two point leads. Stingers scored on kills by #9 Jorge Mencia, #15 Novel Romero and Langlois. Southern Exposure scored their points on a block by #16 MB Langston Payne, a service ace by #10 Kyle Dagostino and kills by Payne, Dagostino, #19 MB Evan McDonough. At 14-12 Southern Exposure scored three points in a row on one kill by #6 Tim Lourich a Hubbard kill after an overpass and a service ace by Dagostino for a 17-12 lead. Southern Exposure increased their lead to 7 points after a Stingers\u2019 hitting error and kill by Hubbard to 20-13. Stingers scored the next three points to cut the lead to 20-16 on a block by #14 MB Lazaro Fernandez, Romero service ace and Langlois kill after a Southern Exposure overpass. While Southern Exposure hitters struggled to find the court, Langlois\u2019 three kills tied the set at 24-24. Southern Exposure regained the lead at 25-24 and kept the 1-point lead until 28-28. After a Stunner\u2019s serve Southern Exposures\u2019 overpass led to a Metcalf kill on one. Stingers won the set on a block by Metcalf 30-28.<\/span><\/p>\n

Southern Exposure committed early hitting errors that gave the Stingers an early lead. The Stingers scored on kills from #11 setter Hamilton Day\u2019s dump, Metcalf, Mencia and Langlois; and double block by Metcalf and Mencia for a 7-2 lead. At 8-3 Stingers donated two points to Southern Exposure on a service error and hitting error. After a Dagostino kill Southern Exposure cut the lead to 8-6. Stingers kept a two and three point lead on kills by Romero, Langlois and Fernandez. At 14-12 two Stingers\u2019 hitting errors and kill by Hubbard tied the score 15-15. Both teams exchanged one point leads throughout the rest of the set. Southern Exposure scored on a block by McDonough, Payne service ace and kill and kills by Dagostino and #8 Storm Tufuga Fa\u2019gata. Stingers scored on kills by # 2 Carson Henninger, Langlois, Fernandez and Romero. At 25-25 Stingers won the set from a service ace by Dagostino and McDonough kill after a Southern Exposure overpass 27-25.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Set number three was the most competitive of the match, in which neither led by more than 2 points. Stingers took the first lead on one of the few Southern Exposure errors 1-0. While the Stingers scored points on kills by Langlois, Metcalf, Mencia and Romero, Southern Exposure scored on points from kills by Dagostino, Hubbard, McDonough and Payne and a block by McDonough and Lourich. At 12-12 Southern Exposure took the lead on a kill by McDonough to 13-12. Both teams continued to\u00a0 exchange leads, in which the Stingers scored on kills by Mencia, Langlois and Fernandez. Southern Exposure scored on a McDonough service ace, kills by Lourich and Hubbard. After Southern Exposure took a 22-22 lead on a Hubbard block, Stingers scored two consecutive points on a Fernandez block and Langlois kill and retook the lead 23-22. At 24-24 Southern Exposure retook the lead after a Hubbard kill to 25-24. Both teams exchanged points to a 28-28 tie. After a Stingers\u2019 hitting error broke the tie to 29-28, Southern Exposure won the set on a Hubbard kill after a Stingers\u2019 overpass 30-28.<\/span><\/p>\n

Set number four turned into another long drawn out battle. Southern Exposure scored the first point from #15 setter Derrick Sullivan on a dump. But after Langlois tied the set at 2-2 the Stingers scored three straight points two kills by Storm and one by Mencia to 5-2. Stingers kept that lead until Southern Exposure four points in a row from two kills by Lourich, one kill by Dagostino and block by McDonough to 8-6. Southern Exposure increased their lead to 18-13 on a block by Payne and kills by Hubbard, Lourich and McDonough. Stingers scored on kills by Storm, Romero, Langlois and Mencia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At 21-17 the Stingers fought back to tie and take the lead and scored 5 consecutive points on 2 kills by Langlois, one kill and block by Menica and one kill by Storm to 22-21. While both teams battled into overtime, Stingers kept their 1-point lead until 27-27, when the chair umpire penalized Southern Exposure for a delay of game caused by an ineligible substitution. Because Southern Exposure received a yellow card earlier in the match, this delay of game penalty was a second infraction, which resulted in a red card and change of ball ownership that gave the Stingers\u2019 a point to 28-27. On the next point the Stingers won the set on a Southern Exposure error 30-28.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In set number five Southern Exposure took the early lead 2-0 on Lourich and Payne kills. A Southern Exposure service error gave Stingers their first point. A service ace by the Stingers\u2019 Romero tied the score 2-2. Southern Exposure increased their lead by 2 points after a Hubbard kill and service ace to 4-2. After a Fernandez block tied the score at 4-4 a Mencia kill gave the Stingers\u2019 their first lead of the set. Southern Exposure retook the lead after back-to-back points on a Payne service ace and McDonough block to 7-5. At 9-7 a Lourich service ace increased the Southern Exposure lead to 10-7. But the Stingers retook the lead after 3 hitting errors and 2 Romero kills to 14-13. Southern Exposure tied the score on a Hubbard kill to 14-14. Stingers countered with a Romero kill to 15-14. Then two kills by Hubbard, one on a “bic” gave Southern Exposure a 16-15 lead. On the next point Southern Exposure committed a service error and tied the score at 16-16. Southern Exposure won the set and match on consecutive kills by Lourich and the last by McDonough 18-16.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Southern Exposures\u2019 Tyler Hubbard-Neil led all players with 21 kills. His teammates Evan McDonough had 13 kills and Lourich and Payne each had 12 kills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stingers were led by Langlois with 20 kills, followed by Mencia 18 kills and Romero 15 kills. Southern Exposure also scored on 9 service aces and 13 blocks. And Stingers on 1 service ace and 10 blocks. Southern Exposure scored 69 points and Stingers 68 points for a total of 137 points.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Southern Exposure Defeats Blaze in the Eighth 5 Set Match of the NVA\u2019s Third Event<\/b><\/p>\n

Blaze took an early 7-0 lead on kill and service ace by #8 Pablo Guzman, three kills in a row by #12 Travis O\u2019Gorman, Southern Exposure hitting error and kill by #1 Steven Morales. Southern Exposure finally scored on a kill by #12 MB Uchenna Ofoha to 7-1. Blaze increased their lead to 11-3 after they scored three consecutive points on a kill by #3 Greg Faulkner, ace by Morales and kill by Guzman. Both teams sided-out well but also surrendered points to each other from service and hitting errors. The biggest Blaze lead was 9 points after Guzman scored on a joust to 15-6. While Southern Exposure scored clean points on kills by Ofoha, #13 Chad Mercado and #8 Tim Lourich, the Blaze scored on kills by O\u2019Gorman, Guzman and Morales to 24-13. Southern Exposure scored the next point on a Blaze service error. And the Blaze won set point on a Southern Exposure service error 25-14.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Southern Exposure had a better start in the second set and scored the first four points from an Ofoha kill, Blaze hitting error and kills by #1 Tyler Neil-Hubbard and #10 Kyle Dagostino. Blaze score the next five points from a Southern Exposure hitting error, Guzman service ace, kill by O\u2019Gorman, block by #5 Pedro Nieves and another Southern Exposure hitting error for a 5-4 lead. After Mercado tied the score at 7-7, Blaze\u00a0 relinquished their lead to Southern Exposure on hitting error to 8-7. Both teams sided-out well to keep the score close. Southern Exposure on kills by #2 Eddie Moushikhian and Hubbard and Ofoha and block by Ofoha. Blaze score on kills by O\u2019Gorman and #10 Rafael Cruz. Southern Exposure increased their lead at 15-14 after a Mercado block and Moushikhian kill to 17-14. Two Blaze hitting errors increased the lead to 19-15. Blaze rallied back on kills by Morales and Faulkner and cut the lead to 22-21. After Hubbard and Mercado kills gave Southern Exposure at 2-point lead at 24-22, O\u2019Gorman scored back-to-back kills and tied the score 24-24. Southern Exposure scored the next point from a kill by #19 MB Evan McDonough and then won the set from a Blaze hitting error 26-24.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In set number three Southern Exposure scored the first point on a kill by Mercado. Blaze tied the score at 2-2 on a Nieves kill and took the lead on an O\u2019Gorman kill to 3-2. After Southern Exposure scored on a Blaze hitting error, the Blaze scored the next four points kills by #27 Charles Belvin, O\u2019Gorman and Faulkner for a 7-3. Southern Exposure rallied to cut the lead to 12-10 after kills by Hubbard and Mercado and a block by Mercado. But Blaze never relinquished the lead. The last clean point the Blaze scored was on a kill by Nieves at 21-18. Blaze scored the next three points on a kill by Belvin, Southern Exposure hitting error and O\u2019Gorman kill to 24-18. Southern Exposure scored the next point on a Blaze hitting error. Then the Blaze won the set on a Southern Exposure hitting error 25-19.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Southern Exposure scored the first point again and took the early lead in the fourth set on a Hubbard kill and Mercado block to 2-0. Blaze rallied back to tie the score after a Southern Exposure hitting error and a Faulkner block. Blaze scored the next two points from another Faulkner block and a Belvin service ace to 5-3. Southern Exposure tied and took the lead after kills by Lourich, Mercado and Moushikhian to 7-6. Blaze retook the lead to 11-8 after two Southern Exposure hitting errors and a Guzman kill. Southern Exposure cut the lead to one point after kills by Moushikhian and Mercado to 12-11. Both teams exchanged leads until Southern Exposure took a lead they never relinquished for the rest of the set after a Hubbard kill and Dagostino ace at 21-19. But the Blaze fought back and tied the set at 23-23 after a Southern Exposure hitting error and O\u2019Gorman kill. A Blaze hitting error gave Southern Exposure a 24-23 lead. Belvin followed up with a kill to 24-24. Then Southern Exposure won the set on two consecutive kills, one by Mercado and the last by Dagostino after a Southern Exposure overpass 26-24.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In set number five Southern Exposure scored the first point on a Hubbard kill and Blaze on a kill by #14 Jonathan Rodriguez. Southern Exposure scored back-to-back kills from Ofoha for a 5-3 lead. After a service error Southern Exposure scored the next three points from a Moushikhian kill and back-to-back service aces to 8-4. Blaze rallied back to cut the lead to 11-9 after a block by Rodriguez. Mercado scored the next Southern Exposure point to 12-9. Blaze scored from Southern Exposure\u2019s service error to 12-10. Hubbard scored to make 13-10. After Belvin scored a kill to 13-11, Southern Exposure won the set and match on a Moushikhian kill followed by a Blaze hitting error 15-11.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chad Mercado led all players with 17 kills. His teammates Eddie Moushikhian added 11 kills, Tyler Neil-Hubbard 10 kills and Uchenna Ofoha 9 kills. Travis O\u2019Gorman led the Blaze with 15 kills followed by Pablo Guzman 8 kills and Greg Faulkner and Charles Belvin 7 kills each. Southern Exposure also scored on 7 service aces and 7 blocks. And Blaze on 6 service aces and 5 blocks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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