KINGSPORT, Tenn. — The Warner University men's volleyball team delivered a historic performance Thursday evening, defeating Bluefield University 3-1 (26-24, 22-25, 25-16, 25-18) in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Quarterfinal while setting a new tournament record with 19 service aces.

The Royals showcased resilience and firepower throughout the match, using a balanced offensive attack and aggressive serving to punch their ticket to the AAC Semifinals.

Warner edged out a tightly contested opening set, 26-24, behind timely kills from Romone Rudolph and Darion Graham. The Rams answered in set two, capitalizing on runs to even the match at 1-1.

From there, the Royals took control.

Warner erupted offensively in the third set, hitting an impressive .609 while recording 15 kills to dominate 25-16. The momentum carried into the fourth, where the Royals closed strong with 14 kills and continued pressure from the service line to secure the 25-18 win and the match.

Rudolph led the charge with a match-high 16 kills on an efficient .480 hitting percentage, while Graham and Caleb Welling each added 12 kills to give Warner a potent three-headed attack. Meric Akovali orchestrated the offense with 33 assists while also contributing four kills on a .500 clip.

The Royals' serving performance proved to be the difference-maker, as Warner's 19 aces set a new AAC Tournament record. Graham and Milos Sipragic led the way with five aces apiece, while Welling and Rudolph added three each to keep Bluefield off balance throughout the match.

Defensively, Sipragic recorded a team-high 10 digs, while Kj Harrison added six to anchor the back row.

With the win, Warner advances to the AAC Semifinals, continuing its postseason run with momentum.

The Royals return to the court Friday, April 17, remaining in Kingsport to face St. Thomas University in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Semifinals.