SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Concord University volleyball team lost a pair of matches Friday at the NDC Invite.
CU (3-8) lost to Indiana (Pa.) in four sets and was swept by Mercyhurst.
Match 1: Indiana (Pa.) 3 – Concord 1 (25-13, 25-11, 23-25, 25-16)
Concord could not overcome a 2-0 set deficit as it won the third game, but lost the fourth set.
After the Crimson Hawks controlled the first two sets, Concord fought back to win the third game. In the set, CU opened up a 15-10 lead behind two service aces and three kills from junior middle hitter
Brooke Heck. IUP climbed back to within 20-19 after a small burst, but the Mountain Lions held off the rally. Sophomore middle hitter
Emily Ellis, senior middle hitter
Shea Hoffman and junior outside hitter
Alexi Pranckus each had a kill to close out the game.
However, IUP took the fourth set to win the match.
Sophomore outside hitter
Ellie Lawrence and Pranckus each finished with nine kills.
Senior setter
Casey Mandeville passed out 28 assists.
Match 2: Mercyhurst 3 – Concord 0 (25-13, 25-22, 25-21)
The Mountain Lions lost the nightcap in straight sets.
Concord could not overcome a slow start in the first set, but rebounded to tighten the second set late. Down by as many as six, kills from Lawrence and freshman libero
Lindsay Maddox cut the CU deficit to 24-22, but the Lakers were able to close the set.
The third set was almost a mirror image of the second as the Mountain Lions fell behind by as many as eight points midway through the set, 20-12. But, CU went on an 8-1 run to close within 21-20. Ellis had two kills during the run while Heck supplied one. Freshman defensive specialist
Joi Haywood also had an ace during the run.
Mercyhurst scored the next two points to open back up a three-point lead in route to a third game win.
Ellis had a team-high 12 kills. Mandeville and sophomore setter Jenna Mounted combined for 31 assists. Maddox added 16 digs.
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