Eagles Men’s Volleyball Sweeps Truett McConnell Behind Balanced Attack

Waleska, Ga. - Reinhardt University's Eagles men's volleyball team turned in a dominant home performance Tuesday night, sweeping Truett McConnell 3-0 in Waleska, Georgia, by scores of 25-20, 25-22 and 25-22. The Eagles controlled the match statistically and on the scoreboard, finishing with a 43-27 edge in kills and a 6-1 advantage in service aces to secure the straight-sets victory.

Reinhardt set the tone early in the opening set, grabbing the first point on a kill from Quintin Fongbemi and never allowing Truett McConnell to establish sustained momentum. A key mid-set surge featured back-to-back kills by Gabriel Gutierrez that stretched the Eagles' lead to 18-12, putting the visitors under pressure. Truett McConnell fought back to close the gap, but a service error on the final rally handed Reinhardt the 25-20 win and a 1-0 lead in the match.

The second set followed a similar script, with the Eagles building an early cushion and then leaning on their offense to withstand a late push. An ace from outside hitter Jakub Aniolczyk helped Reinhardt jump out to a 9-4 advantage, and a team ace on the serve of Andrea Forcina later in the frame extended the margin to 14-11. Truett McConnell responded with improved blocking and defense to close within striking distance, but Gutierrez again delivered in a key moment, terminating on set point for a 25-22 Reinhardt win and a commanding 2-0 match lead.

Reinhardt kept its foot on the gas in the third set, racing out to a 4-0 start behind an early kill from Aniolczyk. The Eagles' balanced attack continued to pressure the Truett McConnell block, with Fongbemi adding another kill to make it 17-12 and keep the hosts in control in the middle of the set. Although Truett McConnell mounted one last rally to pull within three late, Aniolczyk closed the door with a final kill on match point, sealing the 25-22 result and completing the sweep.

Gutierrez led the Eagles' offense with a match-high 13 kills, adding 2 aces, 7 digs and 15.5 points in an all-around standout performance. Aniolczyk provided a strong complement on the pin with 9 kills, 1 ace and 3 block assists for 11.5 points, helping Reinhardt finish with 75 total points to Truett McConnell's 64. Fongbemi chipped in timely kills during key runs, while the Eagles' collective blocking and serving game kept the Bears off balance throughout.

Defensively, Reinhardt held Truett McConnell to a .145 hitting percentage, limiting clean swings despite 9 kills and 6 digs from Alex Bosman and 8 kills and an ace from Eduardo Andrade. The Eagles, meanwhile, hit .253 as a team, overcoming 20 attack errors with efficient side-out play and well-timed service pressure. Reinhardt's six team blocks also helped neutralize Truett McConnell's primary attackers at critical points in each set.

With the win, the Eagles men's volleyball program continues to build momentum in March and adds another home sweep to its résumé. Reinhardt now turns its attention to the road, as the Eagles are scheduled to travel to Life University on Friday, March 13, for a 6:30 p.m. first serve.