Buena Vista, VA - In their first home match of 2025, the Southern Virginia University men's volleyball team wrapped up their preseason schedule with a victory over Liberty. The Knights used a quick start to defeat the Flames in straight sets, 25-14, 25-13, 25-13. 

Despite one of their premier attackers, Christian Sheaffer, sitting out, the Knights came out firing on all cylinders. Jayton Hall was noticeable in the first several points, picking up a couple of kills and forming a brick wall at the net with his teammates. Samuel Candland followed suit by sending several blistering attacks to the floor; his four kills led both sides.

By the end of the first set, the Knights had used the momentum provided by their home crowd to give themselves a 1-0 set lead. Liberty competed well in the opening points of the second set, but they couldn't break through the Knight wall enough to retain the lead for long. With the Knights in front, 24-13, Jett Hall trickled a service over the net and to the floor to clinch the set dramatically.

While the Knights' returning core had set the tone, several of their newcomers fit in seamlessly. Jason Wang was slotted into the starting lineup and combined for several blocks, also showcasing his upside on the attack. Gehrig Tolman, a sophomore transfer at setter, played most of sets two and three and found many of his high-flying teammates in their wheelhouse for several kills.

In the third set, the Knights slowly pulled away to capture the sweep, a feat they became all too familiar with last season. Jeremy Brown led the team with nine kills, while Jason Wang and Jayton Hall combined for nine blocks to lead the Knights defensively. Freshmen Keanu Calles and Jett Hall also pitched in with two services each to lead all players in the category.

With the preseason behind them, Southern Virginia will shift its focus to the regular season, which features some of the best competition in the country. They'll travel to Ohio for the Jim Coleman Memorial Invitational hosted by Wittenberg University. Their first match will be on Friday, January 24th, at 7:30 PM against Edgewood College.

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightmvolleyball on Instagram.