BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University women's volleyball team closed their home tournament by splitting two five set matches in the Student Center Complex. The Tornado came back to defeat Emory & Henry College 3-2 before falling to Young Harris College in the nightcap.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 3, Emory & Henry 2 (22-25, 25-17, 27-29, 25-18, 15-11); Young Harris 3, King 2 (25-20, 12-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-13)
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 2-2; Emory & Henry 2-3; Young Harris 2-6
HOW IT HAPPENED – EMORY & HENRY
First Set
- Emory & Henry turned a 6-6 tie into a 9-6 lead and eventually led 12-7 before King called for a timeout.
- King fought back to pull within 14-12 following an Abigale Jayne kill, but the Wasps came back with three straight points to force another Tornado timeout.
- The King deficit grew to 19-12, the Tornado had another run.
- Julie Ward and Brittney Ramsey accounted for three straight kills that pulled King within 23-21.
- However, the Wasps scored two of the final three points to take the set 25-22.
Second Set
- King gained separation in the early going with a 4-1 run that was capped by a Ward kill to put the Tornado ahead 13-9.
- A block from Ward and Ramsey gave King an 18-13 lead and forced an Emory & Henry timeout.
- Ramsey later gave King the set 25-17 with one of her three kills in the set.
Third Set
- Emory & Henry jumped ahead early in the set, taking a 9-5 lead that forced a King timeout.
- The Tornado fought back and evened the score at 13 as the teams began to trade points.
- The Wasps broke a tie at 20 with three straight points, but King came back and evened the score at 24 and 25, the second time on a kill from Georgia Davis.
- Jayne gave King a chance at set point with a kill that put the Tornado ahead 27-26.
- Nevertheless, Emory & Henry scored the final three points to take the set 29-27.
Fourth Set
- The Tornado used a 6-2 lead to take a 13-10 lead following a block from Ramsey and Davis.
- However, the Wasps came back and evened the score at 15 before the Tornado scored three straight points to take a 20-17 lead.
- Out of the timeout called by Emory & Henry, King scored five of the final six points, the final two on kills from Zephanie Snyder and Ward to take the set 25-18.
Fifth Set
- The Tornado had a two-point cushion in the early going, but the Wasps came back and evened the score at seven as the teams traded blows.
- Snyder came up with another kill and Gabri Puertas followed with an ace before a Ramsey kill gave King a 12-9 lead and forced an Emory & Henry timeout.
- Out of the break, King scored three of the next five points, capped by a Ward kill that gave King the 15-11 victory to take the match 3-2.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Ward led King with 23 kills, 18 digs and three blocks.
- Jayne followed with 13 kills and 18 digs.
- Ramsey added 10 kills and five blocks.
- Snyder chipped in with nine kills while Kara Miller added seven kills.
- Davis registered eight kills, 31 assists and 21 digs.
- Katie Harless handed out 28 assists and added 18 digs while Puertas posted 17 digs.
FOR THE FOES
- Hannah Watson led Emory & Henry with 15 kills.
- Carley Williams and Camden Jones added 12 kills each. Jones also accounted for 15 digs.
- Abbie Hutzler posted a match-high 30 digs while Paige Halcrow handed out 24 assists and added 13 digs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- King posted 99 digs, their sixth most in the NCAA Division II era, since 2011.
- Davis set career-highs with 31 assist and 21 digs.
- Jayne's 18 digs set a career-high, topping her previous best of seven digs.
- Harless set career-highs in assists and digs. She also posted her third double-double of the season.
- Puertas' 17 digs set a career high.
HOW IT HAPPENED – YOUNG HARRIS
First Set
- King scored the first four points of the match and led 8-4 following a Hailee Blankenship kill before the Mountain Lions went on a run.
- Young Harris scored 10 of the next 12 points, including seven straight to take a 14-10 lead.
- The Mountain Lions held the lead the for the remainder of the set, taking the frame 25-20.
Second Set
- The Tornado used a 6-0 run started by a block from Ramsey and Davis and solo stuff from Ramsey.
- Davis added a pair of aces to give King a 9-4 lead.
- King then went on a 7-0 run, started by a Ramsey kill as Blankenship followed with a pair of aces.
- Ward and Allie Zimmerman added kills on the run that gave King a 16-5 lead.
- The Tornado then scored the final four points of the set, taking the set 25-12 on one of Blankenship's three kills in the set.
Third Set
- King held a slight lead I the early going and Zimmerman gave the Tornado a 12-9 lead with her lone kill of the set.
- The Lions fought back, scoring three straight points to even the set at 17.
- Ward later broke a tie at 19 with a kill to give the Tornado the lead.
- However, Young Harris scored the next six points to take the set 25-20.
Fourth Set
- Paula La Mendola served up an ace, and Zimmerman followed with a kill to give King an 11-8 lead.
- Blankenship and Davis accounted for three straight kills that extended the King lead to 18-13.
- The Tornado held the lead there, winning the set 25-19 to force a fifth and decisive set.
Fifth Set
- A Hannah Rogers ace gave King a 6-2 lead as Young Harris called for a timeout.
- Out of the break, the Mountain Lions scored five straight points to take a 7-6 lead.
- The teams went back-and-forth, but the Mountain Lions broke a tie at 11 with back-to-back points.
- King answered with kills from Ramsey and Davis to even the score.
- However, Young Harris recorded back-to-back blocks to take the 15-13 victory and win the match 3-2.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Ward led the Tornado with 17 kills and 17 digs.
- Blankenship followed with 15 kills, seven digs and two blocks.
- Ramsey hit .625 in the match, accounting for six kills. She also added six blocks, including three solo stuffs.
- Davis posted five kills, 25 assists and 11 digs.
- Claire Wilson accounted for 12 digs.
FOR THE FOES
- Lily Hidalgo led Young Harris with 13 kills, two blocks and four digs.
- Alex Pierre added nine kills and five blocks.
- Joha Bernis led the defense with 23 digs to go along with 11 assists.
- Ginger Truncale accounted for 16 assists and 14 digs wihle Kori Still added 10 digs.
UP NEXT
- King hosts Tusculum University on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the Student Center Complex.
- Emory & Henry hosts William Peace University on Tuesday night.
- Young Harris hosts Emmanuel College on Tuesday night.
