BELMONT, N.C. -- Belmont Abbey claimed its second Conference Carolinas regular-season championship in three years Saturday with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-17) victory over Lees-McRae at the Wheeler Center. The victory came as the Crusaders celebrated 2026 seniors Zach Puentes and Jibriel Elhaddad in a prematch ceremony.

The Abbey closes the regula season with an 18-5 overall record, including 13-1 in league play. The Bobcats fall to 12-15, 7-7.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Belmont Abbey hit a season-high .450 with 43 kills against 11 errors in 79 attempts. The performance topped a .386 night at Lindenwood last month.
• Puentes connected at a .346 clip with 12 kills (3e-26a), while serving a pair of aces and making two digs.
• TJ Neville and Caden Day had eight kills each, hitting .545 (8k-2e-11a) and .313 (8k-3e-16a), respectively.
• Day was the digs leader with eight, while four players tallied three each.
• Joseph Morris dished out 34 assists and had a team-high four blocks, while Elhadded hit .500 on six kills and had two blocks.

UP NEXT

• Belmont Abbey enters the Conference Carolinas Tournament, which it was pre-determined to host, as the top seed.
• The Crusaders will square off against the winner of Wednesday night's quarterfinal between No. 5 Barton and No. 4 North Greenville.
• The Bulldogs handed The Abbey its only conference loss this year, winning on the road back in Februrary.