BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University women's volleyball team dropped their Conference Carolinas match Saturday afternoon, 3-1 to Young Harris College.
Hailee Blankenship led the Tornado, with 18 kills and 13 digs.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Young Harris 3, King 1 (25-19, 17-25, 25-23, 25-22)
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 3-8, 1-3 Conference Carolinas; Young Harris 7-8, 4-3 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
- The Mountain Lions scored the first five points of the set before Blankenship got King on the board with a kill.
- Young Harris held a 9-4 lead before the Tornado scored three in a row, with Riley Nelson and Gracia Love getting kills to bring King to within 9-7.
- The Tornado were able to pull even, scoring four in a row, including a service ace from Katie Harless, tying the score at 14.
- Young Harris would finish the set on a 11-5 scoring run, with Abigail Belcher recording a pair of kills, while Nelson and Blankenship teamed up on a kill, but the Mountain Lions would take the set 25-19.
Second Set
- Young Harris again started the set on a scoring run, this one a 4-1 early advantage.
- After tying the set at 11, the Tornado worked their way into a 13-11 lead off a block by Love and Nelson, as well as a service ace from Gabri Puertas, puling ahead 13-11.
- A 3-0 scoring run gave Young Harris the lead back for a brief time, but King quickly scored four straight of their own, pulling back into the lead 17-15.
- The Mountain Lions got to within 18-17, but King finished the set scoring the final seven points, winning the set 25-17 on another kill from Blankenship.
Third Set
- King took an early 5-1 lead, thanks in part to two straight aces from Blankenship.
- After the Mountain Lions pulled to within 6-3, they embarked on a 5-0 scoring run, taking an 8-6 lead that quickly evaporated, as King scored a pair to tie it.
- Young Harris would then go ahead 9-8, but a 5-0 scoring run put the Tornado ahead, 13-9.
- After pulling to within 15-11, the Mountain Lions would go on a 11-2 scoring run, taking a 22-17 lead.
- King then scored four straight, getting to within 22-21, however they were unable to finish the rally, falling 25-23, with Young Harris taking a 2-1 match lead.
Fourth Set
- After King scored the first point, Young Harris took five of the next six, pulling out to a 5-2 lead.
- The Tornado got to 7-4 on a Love kill, but the Mountain Lions scored four in a row, extending the lead to 11-4.
- After falling behind 17-10, King started to rally, scoring five of the next six points, getting to within 18-15.
- A kill from Blankehship allowed the Tornado to get to within one, 21-20, but the Mountain Lions quickly got to match point, up 24-21.
- The Tornado scored a point off a service error, but couldn't complete the comeback, dropping the set 25-22 and the match 3-1.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Blankenship posted another double-double, finishing with 18 kills and 13 digs, while also picking up three aces and an assisted block.
- Gabri Puertas had 20 digs to lead the Tornado, while Abigale Jayne had 17.
- Katie Harless handed out 43 assists on the match.
FOR THE FOES
- Young Harris had three players finish with double-digit kills, led by 15 from Lily Hidalgo.
- Joha Bernis had 40 digs, while Chase Vaigneur had 23.
UP NEXT
- King will play again at approximately 5 p.m., facing the University of Charleston in a nonconference matchup.
- Young Harris will also play Charleston at approximately 3 p.m.
