SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The King University women's volleyball team played another five-set match on Tuesday night in a Conference Carolinas tilt at Converse University. The Tornado won the first two sets, but had to hold off the homestanding Valkyries to win the fifth set 15-10 and take the match 3-2.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 3, Converse 2 (26-24, 25-15, 18-25, 24-26, 15-10)
LOCATION: Tom & Tracy Hannah Gymnasium; Spartanburg, S.C.
RECORDS: King 9-7, 4-1 Conference Carolinas; Converse 6-9, 3-4 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
- The teams traded blows early, but the Tornado took a 13-10 advantage before Converse came back to even the tally.
- Converse later led 21-18 before a Tornado timeout.
- King came back with three straight points, including and ace from Katie Harless to even the score.
- The Tornado later trailed 24-22 before two kills from Hailee Blankenship around an Abigail Belcher termination gave King a lead.
- Paula La Mendola gave King the 26-24 win with a service ace.
Second Set
- Blankenship served up three aces while Belcher and Harless teamed up for a block on a 5-0 run that gave King an 11-5 lead.
- Converse came back and pulled within 13-12, but King responded with a 4-1 run as La Mendola ace extended the King lead back to 17-13.
- King later scored the final four points to take the set 25-15.
Third Set
- Blankenship posted a kill and ace on a 3-0 run that gave King a 9-6 lead.
- However, Converse came back and evened the score at 10 before taking a 19-13 lead following an 11-3 run.
- The Tornado tried to comeback as a Blankenship kill and ace pulled King within 20-18.
- That was as close as King could get as Converse took the set 25-18.
Fourth Set
- Converse got off to a hot start, taking a 12-6 advantage.
- The Tornado fought back and used a 4-0 run to even the score at 22.
- Abigale Jayne and Chloe Clayton came up with kills on the spurt.
- Following consecutive Valkyrie points, King scored back-to-back points as a Blankenship kill evened the score at 24.
- However, the Valkyries scored the next two points to take the set 26-24.
Fifth Set
- King got off to a hot start as a 3-0 that was highlighted by kills from Kara Miller and Zephanie Snyder forced a Converse timeout with the Tornado leading 5-2.
- The Tornado continued to extend their lead before a Harless kill forced the second Converse timeout of the set with King leading 12-6.
- Converse came back and pulled within 12-10 before a block from Harless and Miller.
- Jayne followed with a kill before King scored the final point on a Converse miscue, giving King the 15-10 win to take the match 3-2.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Jayne led the Tornado with 15 kills.
- Blankenship followed with 14 kills,13 digs and eight aces.
- Belcher chipped in with eight kills.
- Harless handed out 40 assists and added 12 digs.
- Claire Wilson led the back row with 19 digs while Jersey Wines added 16 digs.
- Hannah Rogers chipped in with eight digs and two aces.
FOR THE FOES
- Anna Rabon led Converse with 15 kills and 22 digs.
- Savannah Ducote handed out 19 assists and Mackenzie Schumucker added 17 helpers.
- Mackenzie Day chipped in with 17 digs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Blankinship set a career-high with eight aces. Her previous best of seven came last season.
- Jayne set a career-high with 15 kills, topping her previous best of 13 set last season and matched earlier this season.
UP NEXT
- King starts a five-match home stand on Friday when they take on Erskine College at 7:00 p.m.
- Converse hosts Belmont Abbey College on Friday night.
