Concord Splits Two at Home Triangular

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University volleyball earned a split in its home triangular match Tuesday night at the Carter Center.

Match 1: Bluefield College 3 – Concord 2
The Mountain Lions dug out of a 2-0 hole to force a fifth set, but could not complete the comeback as they fell in five sets to the Rams.

The five sets were decided by a total of 13 points (23-25, 21-25, 25-22, 25-23, 13-15).

The largest lead for the Rams in the first two sets they won was four points which occurred twice in the second set. Meanwhile, Concord never led by more than four points in the sets it won.

In the fifth set, CU jumped out to a 6-3 edge before Bluefield College stormed back with five of the next seven points to level the fifth set at 8-8. After the Mountain Lions scored back-to-back points on BC attack errors, the Rams regrouped to outscore the Maroon and Gray 7-3 to win the match.

Freshman middle hitter Brooke Heck had a career-best 20 kills, and hit .444 in the match. Sophomore middle hitter Alexis Elliott (16 kills, 14 digs) and freshman outside hitter Alexi Pranckus (11 kills, 15 digs) recorded double-doubles in the match.

Freshman setter Jayden Jacobs and sophomore setter Casey Mandeville both finished the match with 27 assists.

Match 2: Concord 3 – Southern Virginia 1
Concord won the final three sets to pick up its first win of the season as it defeated the Knights 3-1 (23-15, 25-19, 25-16, 25-23.)

SVU nearly forced a fifth set in the match, by closing a 21-15 deficit to 24-23, but an attack error by Southern Virginia sealed the match for the Mountain Lions in the fourth set.

CU was able to dominate the middle sets as they held a lead of 20-13 in the second set before dispatching of the Knights by six points, and a held a double-digit lead of 24-12 in the third set.

Pranckus followed up her stellar performance in the first match with an even better showing in the nightcap as the Tinley Park, Illinois native had 15 kills and 16 digs. Elliott added 10 kills and 15 digs. Meanwhile, Heck recorded her first career double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs. Additionally, Heck hit .529 in 17 chances.

Jacobs dished out 29 assists in the win.

Sophomore middle hitter Shea Hoffman equaled her career-high with seven key blocks in the match.

The Mountain Lions travel to the Gannon-Mercyhurst Invite this weekend.