The Belmont Abbey men's volleyball team earned its first win of the 2014 season with a 3-0 sweep of the visiting Barton College Bulldogs this evening at the Wheeler Center. Set scores were 25-21, 28-26 and 26-24. Belmont Abbey improves to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in Conference Carolinas, while Barton slipped to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in league play.

The Crusaders hit .139 as Brandon Kimbrell led the way with nine kills, while Evan Young added eight. Derek Sullivan handed out 28 assists.

Belmont Abbey used a strong net presence, recording 10 total blocks as Sullivan and Jon Lowenhagen both had three block solos. Kimbrell totaled two. Sullivan and libero Johnny Gomez both had eight digs.

After a relatively easy first set win, the Crusaders had to finish the Bulldogs off in extra points in the final two sets.

Belmont Abbey led 24-23 on a Lowenhagen kill, setting up set point, but the Bulldogs claimed the next two points to give them set point at 25-24. On set point, Barton committed an error, knotting the stanza at 25, but Barton won the next point to set up the second set point for the Bulldogs. Barton then made three-straight errors-the first on a service miscue and the next two on attacks-which gave the Abbey a 28-26 win and take a two sets to none lead.

The third set again needed extra points to declare a winner and again the Abbey had enough to pick up its first win of the year.

The Bulldogs had set point at 24-23, but the Crusaders battled to win the next three points to earn the first win of the year.

Dustin Buell slammed home a short kill from the net, followed by a Kimbrell winner that gave the Abbey match point. After a Barton timeout, the match ended on a Bulldogs attack error.