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The first match for Belmont Abbey in its program history against a MPSF opponent will be on its home court.
Second-year Crusaders coach Sean Manzi informed Off the Block on Monday that Belmont Abbey during the upcoming season will play host to Cal Baptist in a non-conference match on March 24.
This will be the fourth time since the Conference Carolinas added men’s volleyball in 2011 that a school from the conference will have a home match versus the MPSF. In addition, Cal Baptist is the second MPSF school to travel to the Southeast conference for a non-conference match.
Belmont Abbey finished last season with a program-record 18 wins and won the program’s first postseason match as it advanced to the conference tournament semifinals.
Cal Baptist ended the 2016 season under first-year head coach Derek Schmidt had an eight-win improvement from the previous year and went undefeated in non-conference team. The Lancers also finished in 10th place in the MPSF and were one-match out of eighth place and their first postseason berth since joining the MPSF.
The match versus the Crusaders will conclude a five-match East Coast road trip for the Lancers. Cal Baptist in this mid-season road trip also will play Conference Carolinas schools Limestone and Erskine.
Along with playing host to Cal Baptist, Belmont Abbey will have six home non-conference matches in 2107.
Belmont Abbey will open its season at home versus the defending EIVA champions George Mason on Jan. 6. It also will play host to Sacred Heart the following day and NJIT on March 15.