Belmont Abbey College

Final NCAA Gamebook
Belmont Abbey Post-Match Press Conference

HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Zach Puentes tallied 12 kills and hit .435, but fifth-ranked Southern California hit .417 as a team, leading the Trojans to a 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-21) victory over 20th-ranked Belmont Abbey Friday afternoon in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Championship.

The Crusaders, making their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance, close the season with a 20-6 record.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Puentes had just two errors in 23 attempts, while adding two service aces and three digs. His 12 kills are the most-ever by a Crusader in four all-time NCAA Tournament appearances.
• Caden Day added six kills with a .286 percentage, while Leyton Ritchie hit .750 on three kills in four attempts.
• Joseph Morris dished out 23 assists and had four digs, while Alejandro Leon led the defensive effort with seven digs.
• As a team, the Crusaders had five aces with Day, Morris and Leyton Ritchie adding one each.
• The 59 total points over three sets topped 58 against UCLA for the best in NCAA Tournament play. 

SET 1 NOTES

• Belmont Abbey held a 2-1 lead before USC rattled off seven straight points.
• The Crusaders later scored five points in a row to cut the lead to 11-10, then tied the score at 12-12 on Ritchie's ace.
• USC broke a 13-13 tie with back-to-back points, then stretched the margin to 19-15. The Trojans won the set on a service error.

SET 2 NOTES

• Belmont Abbey never led in the second set, but the teams were tied twice -- at 1-1 and 2-2.
• The 20 points in the set marked just third time in 12 sets that The Abbey hit 20.
• Day and Puentes each had three kills in the set.
• A .292 hitting percentage (10k-3e-24a) was the best effort in the three sets.

SET 3 NOTES

• The 21 points matched the most-ever by the Crusaders in a single set.
• Belmont Abbey broke a 12-12 tie with two straight points. USC answered with three straight points and broke a 15-15 deadlock with consecutive points.
• Trailing 24-20, the Crusaders saved one match point before a final Trojan kill.