BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University women's volleyball team extended their win streak to six Saturday afternoon, as they beat Conference Carolinas opponent Southern Wesleyan University 3-1.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 3, Southern Wesleyan 1
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 8-6, 3-0 Conference Carolinas; Southern Wesleyan 1-9, 0-2 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
- Southern Wesleyan took an early 4-0 lead, eventually getting to 5-1.
- The Tornado scored a pair of points, on a kill from Hailee Blankenship and a service ace from Chloe Clayton that made the score 5-3.
- After Katie Harless tied the match at 8, King scored four straight points to take a 11-8 advantage.
- The Warriors would hang with the Tornado, tying the match at 19 before King scored the final six points of the set, with Bailey Fersner recording back-to-back service aces.
Second Set
- King started the second set on the right foot, taking an early 7-2 lead.
- The Warriors would get to within 3 at 11-8, but back-to-back kills from Fersner gave King a 13-8 lead.
- After Southern Wesleyan got to within 19-15, King would score three straight points, with Blankenship recording a kill and Gabri Puertas picking up a service ace to make it a 22-15 score.
- The Warriors scored two to make it 22-17, but the Tornado came roaring back, scoring the final three points to take the set 25-17, with Riley Nelson picking up a pair of kills.
Third Set
- After King started the set neck-and-neck, the Warriors scored five consecutive points to take an 8-4 lead.
- The Tornado would come back and tie the set on multiple occasions, including scoring three straight points to tie the set at 17.
- Southern Wesleyan was on the verge of winning, up 24-23 before Abigail Belcher recorded a kill to make it 24-24.
- The Warriors would score the final two points of the set to win 26-24.
Fourth Set
- After the Warriors took a 4-3 lead, Belcher recorded a kill that not only tied the set but ignited a stretch of six consecutive points for the Tornado, culminating in a 9-4 lead.
- The Tornado would stretch the lead to 17-9 on a kill by Zephanie Snyder/
- King and Southern Wesleyan would trade points, with King taking a 24-12 lead on a service ace from Blankenship.
- After the Warriors scored on an attack error, the Tornado would take the set 25-13 on a Southern Wesleyan error, taking the match 3-1.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Blankenship finished with 18 kills, which is not only a season-high, but marks the sixth consecutive match that she has finished with double digit kills.
- Harless also had a career high, finishing with 47 set assists.
- The win stretches the King win streak to six matches, their longest since a five-match streak during the 2021 season. It also marks the eighth consecutive win over the Warriors.
FOR THE FOES
- Amber Bass led the Warriors with 11 kills, with Abigail Gannaio posting 10 kills.
- Ashley Sexton had 23 set assists on the afternoon.
- Kristina Pino had 22 digs for the Warriors, while also contributing a pair of assists.
Up Next
- The Tornado are back inside the Student Center Tuesday night, when they host North Greenville at 7 p.m.
- Southern Wesleyan will also play at home Tuesday night, facing Lees-McRae.
