MARS HILL, N.C. – The King University women's volleyball team picked up their first win of the season Saturday afternoon, as they beat the Mars Hill University Lions 3-0 in the final match of the Tony Fontanelle Memorial Volleyball Tournament hosted by Mars Hill.
Hailee Blankenship finished with 13 kills and 11 digs to lead the Tornado.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 3, Mars Hill 0 (25-20, 25-22, 27-25)
LOCATION: Chambers Gymnasium; Mars Hill, N.C.
RECORDS: King 1-2; Mars Hll 2-1
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
- The two teams battled early, with four lead changes, including at 14-13 when Katie Harless found a service ace to give King a narrow advantage.
- After Mars Hill tied the set back up at 17, the Tornado went on a scoring run, putting four straight points on the board, including back-to-back kills from Bailey Fersner to go ahead 21-17, forcing the Lions to take a timeout.
- King would take a 24-19 lead after consecutive kills by Fersner and Blankenship before ending things on the sixth kill of the match from Blankenship to take the set 25-20.
Second Set
- A Fersner kill gave King an early 5-4 lead, which they quickly expanded to 10-6 after a kill by Blankenship.
- After the Lions battled back to tie the score at 13-13, the Tornado embarked on their largest scoring run of the match, scoring seven of the next eight points, including two kills by Fersner and a block by Riley Nelson and Kara Miller that forced Mars Hill to take timeout trailing 20-14.
- King would stretch their lead to 22-15 before the Lions scored four in a row, pulling to within 22-19.
- Despite Mars Hill closing to within 24-22, the Tornado were able to win the set off a late service error by the Lions, taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
Third Set
- It was Mars Hill who controlled the set early, taking a 5-1 lead that King eventually cut to 9-6.
- After a King timeout trailing 13-7, the Tornado scored four in a row, with Blankenship starting things with another kill before Harless picked up a service ace.
- The Tornado continued to close the gap, eventually pulling to within 15-14 off a Chloe Clayton service ace.
- King tied the set at 20 when Clayton capped off a 3-0 scoring run with a block, forcing the Lions to call a timeout.
- Mars Hill took a 23-21 lead, but it quickly evaporated after a kill by Blankenship and consecutive service aces by Harless to give King a 24-23 lead.
- The Tornado had two match points before putting the match away on the third match point, with an attack error being the final point, handing the Tornado a 27-25 set win and a 3-0 match win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Blankenship finished with her first double-double of the season, recording 13 kills and seven digs.
- Abigale Jayne and Fersner both had eight kills, while Riley Nelson had three total blocks.
- Paula La Mendola led the Tornado back row with 22 digs.
FOR THE FOES
- Kaitlyn Grant had 10 kills to lead Mars Hill with Jada Cannon adding eight kills and 10 digs.
- Laela Jimenez posted 16 digs, along with three set assists for the Lions.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The win is the first Tornado win over Mars Hill since Sept. 2, 2017. It is also the first road win over the Lions since Sept. 27, 2000.
- The last time that King swept the Lions was Aug. 31, 2001, a 3-0 win in Greenville, Nl.C.
UP NEXT
- King will kick off their home slate next weekend when they host Milligan University Friday night before a rematch with Mars Hill Saturday afternoon inside the Student Center.
- Mars Hill will face Lees-McRae College Friday afternoon in a match that will be played in the Student Center.
