PEMBROKE, N.C. – The King University women's volleyball team traveled to UNC Pembroke to take on East Division third seed University of Mount Olive in a Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Championship quarterfinal. The Tornado, seeded third in the West Division took a set from the Trojans, but Mount Olive held off a late Tornado rally to take the match 3-1.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: East No. 2 Mount Olive 3, West No. 3 King 1 (25-15, 20-25, 25-16, 25-22)
LOCATION: Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court; Pembroke, N.C.
RECORDS: King 15-16; Mount Olive 23-8
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
- Mount Olive got off to a hot start, using a 6-0 spurt to take and 8-3 advantage.
- King fought back, however, score four straight to pull within 8-7.
- The teams traded points until Mount Olive scored five consecutive points to take an 18-13 advantage.
- The Tornado couldn't recover as Mount Olive took the first set 25-15.
Second Set
- A Hailee Blankenship kill started a Tornado spurt early in the set as a 4-1 King run vaulted the Tornado to a 7-4 lead.
- King held the advantage throughout the set, but Mount Olive came back and pulled within 18-17 before Gracia Love came up with back-to-back kills.
- Another Love kill started a 3-0 run that gave King the 25-20 victory.
Third Set
- A Blankenship ace gave King a 7-6 lead early in the set, but Mount Olive responded with three straight points to regain the lead.
- King worked their way back and evened the tally at 13 on a Blankenship kill, but the Trojans again responded with three straight tallies.
- The Tornado later trailed 17-15, but Mount Olive closed the 25-16 win with an 8-1 run.
Fourth Set
- Zephanie Snyder recorded consecutive kills to give King an early 8-7 lead, but Mount Olive responded.
- The Trojans scored five straight to take a 12-8 lead.
- King pulled within 16-14 with three straight points, before the teams traded points.
- The teams traded 3-0 runs as King pulled within 22-20 on a block from Abigail Belcher and Abigale Jayne.
- However, the teams traded points as Mount Olive took the set 25-22 and the match 3-1.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Blankenship led the Tornado with 17 kills and 12 digs.
- Snyder and Love followed with seven kills apiece.
- Claire Wilson posted 18 digs while Katie Harless handed out 18 assists to go along with 11 digs.
FOR THE FOES
- Mount Olive was led by Ashlyn Stone's 17 kills.
- Amara Eziakonwa followed with 12 kills.
- Neza Pec led the defense with 19 digs while Morgan Prots added 14 digs.
- Jenna Meyer handed out 28 assists.
