ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University volleyball team outlasted Glenville State in four sets, 25-20, 22-25, 25-16, 25-22, Friday night in Mountain East Conference at the Carter Center.
CU improves to 5-20 this season and 2-8 versus conference opponents. Glenville State, meanwhile, goes to 5-13 and 1-9 in the MEC.
The Mountain Lions maintained control of the first set as they never trailed. Tied at 10-10, Concord went on a 5-2 run to open up the breathing room it needed to finish off the Pioneers in the game. Four different CU hitters assisted in the run as senior middle hitter
Brooke Heck, freshman middle hitter
Sheridan Herron, freshman right side
Camryn Huber and senior outside hitter
Ellie Lawrence each had a kill. GSC could only get as close as two points, 16-14, for the remainder of the set.
Like CU in the first set, Glenville State controlled the second set by opening up an early edge, and never letting Concord grab a lead. Concord did tie the set at 21-21 after a Heck kill, but the Pioneers scored four of the final five points of the set to even the contest at a set each.
A run midway through the third game powered the Mountain Lions to a 2-1 lead. Tied at 7-7, Concord rattled off a 9-2 spurt open up a 16-9 lead on its way to winning the game by 11 points. Five different CU players had kills before a series of errors from GSC ended the run.
The Mountain Lions finished the fourth game on an 11-3 run to end the contest and win by four sets. Glenville State jumped out to a 17-12 edge and still led 19-14. When it appeared CU's Senior Night match was headed for five sets, Concord swung the momentum back in its favor. Heck had consecutive kills to kick start the spurt. Down 20-17, senior outside hitter
Alexi Pranckus provided a kill and a service ace to draw Concord within 20-19 before three straight blocks from Heck, Herron and Lawrence gave Concord a 22-20 lead. Heck and Lawrence each added a kill late to close out the Pioneers by three points.
Lawrence had a career night in her next-to-last match inside the Carter Center. The Newport News, Virginia native went for a career-best 20 kills to go along with a .543 hitting percentage. Lawrence hit into just one error in 35 chances.
Heck just missed out on a triple-double as she tallied 15 kills, eight blocks and seven digs. Heck hit .571 in the contest. Pranckus recorded her second double-double of the year with 11 kills and 10 digs. CU's three seniors combined for 46 of Concord's 57 kills.
Junior setter
Jenna Mounts went for a career-best 33 assists in the victory
Concord closes out the home schedule against West Virginia Wesleyan 1:00 p.m. Saturday. It will be Dig Pink Day as t-shirts will be raffled to benefit Concord's Student-Athlete Advisory and Make-A-Wish.
