SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Concord University volleyball team lost two matches on the first day of the Capital Classic hosted by the University of Illinois at Springfield on Friday.
CU starts the season 0-2.
Match 1: Mississippi College 3 – Concord 1 (24-26, 25-23, 15-25, 20-25)
MC used a late rally to take the first and last set of the match as CU fell.
The first set was tight as neither team led by more than three points. With the set tied at 20-20, Concord used an ace by senior setter
Casey Mandeville and two Choctaws errors to build a three-point cushion. However, Mississippi College rebounded to tie the set at 24-24 and win by two.
The second set was almost as identical to the first set, but this time Concord would not be turned away. Up 19-18, two kills from junior middle hitter
Brooke Heck and a kill each from freshman defensive specialist
Lindsay Maddox and junior outside
Alexi Pranckus help put the set away.
Mississippi College was in control of the third set from the onset as it built a 2-1 sets lead.
Concord opened up a 15-11 edge in the fourth set after a kill by Pranckus, but MC used an 8-3 run to grab a 19-18 lead. Down 21-19, sophomore middle hitter
Emily Ellis notched a kill to make it 21-20, but the Choctaws scored the final five points to win the set and match.
Pranckus tallied a double-double of 13 kills and 13 digs. Meanwhile, Heck racked up seven kills and a career-high 18 digs. Ellis had seven kills and three blocks. Mandeville dished out a team-high 13 assists.
Match 2: Illinois-Springfield 3 – Concord (15-25, 20-25, 15-25)
UIS slowly pulled away from Concord in the first and third sets while using a late run in the second set to sweep the match.
Sophomore outside hitter
Ellie Lawrence recorded a team-best eight kills while hitting .400 for the match.
Maddox paced the Mountain Lions with 13 digs while Mandeville handed out 10 assists.
Concord is back in action 12:00 p.m. against Lindenwood and 4:30 p.m. versus Oakland City.
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