BELMONT, N.C. -- Belmont Abbey captured its first Conference Carolinas men's volleyball regular-season championship, celebrating Senior Day with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 27-25) victory over King on Saturday.

The Crusaders hit .304 as a team in improving to 17-4 overall and 12-1 in league play. The Tornado falls to 6-18, 4-9.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Zach Puentes tallied 12 kills, hitting .300 (12k-3e-30a), while adding an assist and two digs.
• Jibriel Elhaddad and Matthew Staskunas added eight kills, while Alex Winiarczyk, a junior who graduates in May, added seven kills.
• Joseph Morris came in for the second and third sets, tallied 23 assists, while libero Alejandro Leon led the defensive effort with 13 digs, his seventh double-digit effort of the season.
• Clayton Zimmerman, the only true senior on the roster, dished out 11 assists as the starting setter. It was a season high and the second-most in his career.
• King hit .229 as a team, while both teams registered 43 digs.

UP NEXT

• Belmont Abbey hits the road for the final time -- and wraps up non-conference play -- with a trip to local rival Queens on Tuesday.
• The Royals took a 3-1 decision in the Crusaders' home opener back on January 24.