Banner Elk, N.C. — King University returned to Conference Carolinas play on Saturday afternoon but was unable to overcome Lees-McRae's offensive efficiency, falling 3–1 at Williams Gymnasium. The Tornado showed stretches of strong play, including a third-set win and a .323 hitting performance in the fourth, but the Bobcats' consistency at the pins and control in key moments proved decisive.
Lees-McRae Takes a Tight Opening Set
The Bobcats opened the match with a steady attack, hitting .300 in the first frame while committing just three errors. King countered with one of its cleaner sets of the afternoon, hitting .269 behind early kills from Carson Pliapol and Dalton Claiborne.
Despite the Tornado's efficient start, Lees-McRae's late-set execution — led by Ben Fincham and J. Ciriacks — allowed the Bobcats to edge out a 25–23 win.
Bobcats Extend Their Lead in Set Two
Lees-McRae continued to apply pressure in the second set, hitting .243 and again limiting errors. Setter A. Ahmed directed the offense with precision, finishing with 28 assists on the afternoon.
King struggled to maintain rhythm, hitting .091 in the frame despite strong defensive work from Keegan Woolm and Joao Pedro Ribeiro. The Bobcats pulled away late for a 25–20 win and a 2–0 match advantage.
King Responds in the Third
The Tornado found their footing in the third set, tightening their serve-receive and generating more balanced offense. Ribeiro distributed 27 assists in the match, helping King hit .214 in the frame.
Pliapol and Colton Bueter provided key swings, while Woolm added timely kills to help King take the set 25–22 and extend the match.
Lees-McRae Closes Out the Match
The Bobcats delivered their strongest offensive set in the fourth, hitting .424 with zero attack errors. Fincham and Harris continued to pace the attack, while Ciriacks added steady production on the right side.
King opened the set with a service error but responded with a kill from Pliapol and a quick strike from Ribeiro off a feed from Bueter. Despite hitting .323 in the frame, the Tornado couldn't slow the Bobcats' efficiency and fell 25–17.
King Leaders
Several Tornado players turned in solid performances:
King finished with 37 kills, 49 digs, and a .220 team hitting percentage.
Lees-McRae Leaders
The Bobcats showcased a balanced and efficient lineup:
- Ben Fincham: 13 kills, .333 hitting, 16 points
- J. Ciriacks: 8 kills, 4 assists, 1 ace
- Ethan Harris: 6 kills, .429 hitting
- D. Nicolini: 7 kills, 8 digs
- A. Ahmed: 28 assists, 7 digs
Lees-McRae totaled 46 kills, hit .298 as a team, and recorded 5 aces.
Up Next
King returns to action on Monday, March 16, traveling to Asheville for a 6:00 p.m. matchup against Warren Wilson.
