BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University women's volleyball dropped their first match since last season, falling to Mars Hill University 3-0. The Lion offense was too much for the Tornado to tame as King's 15-match winning streak came to an end.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Mars Hill 3, King 0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-11)
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 1-1; Mars Hill 5-1
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
- Mars Hill scored the first three points of the match before opening up a 10-5 lead.
- The Tornado fought back and used a 9-2 run to take a 14-12 lead.
- King scored four straight points started by a block from Allie Zimmerman and Abigail Belcher.
- Hailee Blankenship pulled King within one with a kill before back-to-back Lion points.
- Blankenship then started a 5-0 run with a kill as the Tornado took a 14-12 lead.
- However, Mars Hill went on an 8-1 run, including five straight to open up a 22-15 lead.
- The Tornado couldn't recover, dropping the set 25-20.
Second Set
- Mars Hill again grabbed the lead early, taking an 8-2 lead following five straight points.
- Another 5-0 Lion spurt put the Tornado deficit at 14-5.
- The King deficit grew to 17-7 before going on a 9-2 run.
- Blankenship accounted for three kills and a service ace on the run that pulled King within 19-16.
- King later held off three set points, but that was it as Mars Hill scored the final point to take the set 25-21.
Third Set
- The Lions started the third set with five straight points and opened up a 13-2 lead.
- King tried to fight back, but it wasn't enough as the Lions took the set 25-11 and the match 3-0.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Blankenship led the Tornado with 14 kills and added 10 digs for the double-double
- Abigale Jayne followed with 10 kills and nine digs.
- Katie Harless posted her second double-double of the season with 12 assists and 10 digs.
- Claire Wilson posted a match-high 18 digs.
- Abigail Belcher led the way with four blocks.
FOR THE FOES
- Sarah Goddard led Mars Hill with 13 kills and 13 digs.
- Grace Lilly and Jana Cuk followed with 11 kills each. Lilly added 16 digs.
- Jordan Schmucker handed out 39 assists and added eight digs.
- Ully Martins added 16 digs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- For the second straight match, Wilson set a career-high, posting 18 digs.
- The double-double for Blankenship is the second of her career.
- The defeat was King's first in the Student Center Complex since October 26, 2018, ending a 21-match winning streak.
UP NEXT
- King returns to the court in the Student Center Complex on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. against Emory & Henry College. The Tornado then face Young Harris College at 5:00 p.m.
- Mars Hill takes on Lees-McRae College and Emory & Henry on Saturday in the Student Center Complex.
