Kingsport, Tenn. – Kicking off play in the 2026 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship on Thursday afternoon, the seventh-ranked and top-seeded St. Thomas University Men's Volleyball Team fended off Carolina University in a competitive first set before completing the 3-0 (25-20, 25-10, 25-11) sweep to advance to the Semifinals.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: #7 St. Thomas 3, Carolina 0
Records: #7 St. Thomas (22-4), Carolina (1-20)
All-Time Series: STU leads 5-0
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Trailing early in the first set 7-6, the Bobcats scored six straight to boast a 12-7 lead before fending off a Bruins' comeback effort that got them within two at 19-17 behind three-straight points.
- STU scored the opening two points of the second set and never trailed, holding Carolina to a .000 hitting percentage during the frame.
- The Bobcats held Carolina without a run of consecutive points for the initial 24 points of the third set, quickly creating a double-digit advantage at 17-7 before back-to-back tallies for the Bruins made it 17-9.
NOTEWORTHY:
- All-AAC First Team member Ibrahim Perez boasted 10 kills on a .714 hitting percentage, adding two assisted blocks.
- All-AAC Second Team honoree Arturo Diaz-Dube tied for the team lead in blocks with two.
- AAC Setter and Newcomer of the Year Rafael Obrusnik dished out 23 assists.
- Javaun Thomas chipped in eight kills on a .538 clip alongside five digs which tied for the team lead.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- The Bobcats ended the match with 38 kills on a .508 hitting percentage; Eastern Carolina tallied 23 on a .100 clip.
- STU served 10 ace while the Bruins logged two.
- St. Thomas recorded eight assisted blocks.
- The Bobcats held a 26-20 advantage in digs.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats await the winner of the Warner vs Bluefield Quarterfinal matchup in the Semifinals on Friday, April 17 with first serve set for 1:00 pm.
