BANNER ELK, N.C. -- Belmont Abbey improved to its best start through 11 games in program history Friday night with a 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 25-17, 25-18) victory over Lees-McRae in Conference Carolinas men's volleyball action. The Crusaders stand 9-2 overall and 5-1 in league play, topping an 8-3 beginning by the 2022 team.

Ethan Rehmann and Matthew Staskunas both tallied 13 kills with a hitting percentage over .400.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Rehmann had two errors in 19 chances to hit .579, while adding a dig and two block assists. Staskunas tallied just one error in 28 attempts for a .429 hitting percentage.
• Joseph Morris and Jack Walsh shared setting duties with 26 and 16 assists, respectively. Morris chipped in two kills, four digs and two blocks, while Walsh added three digs and two blocks.
• Jibriel Elhaddad topped double figures in blocks for the second time in his career with 10 (one solo and nine blocks). He had 11 against Fairleigh Dickinson earlier this year.
• Belmont Abbey hit .272 as a team.

UP NEXT

• The top two teams in the early Conference Carolinas standings meet on Tuesday when North Greenville visits Belmont.
• NGU is 5-0 in league play entering a Saturday match at King.
• North Greenville won the first meeting 3-1 on Feb. 6.