ETTRICK, Va. – The Concord University volleyball team split a pair of matches on Saturday at the VSU Invite, falling to North Greenville in three sets before sweeping its way to a win over Elizabeth City State.
The Mountain Lions are now 1-3 on the season.
Match 1: North Greenville 3 – Concord 0 (25-19, 28-26, 25-20)
The Mountain Lions were close to winning the second and third sets, but could not hold off late rallies by NGU in the final two games.
The Crusaders never trailed in the first set as CU was only able to tie the opening game twice, 2-2 and 8-8.
Concord was the team that seized early control in the second set as it rattled off four straight points—two kills by senior outside hitter
Ellie Lawrence and one kill from senior outside hitter
Alexi Pranckus—to gain a 15-10 edge. CU remained in control of the set at 20-15 after a North Greenville error. However, seven of the next nine points belonged to NGU as it tied the set at 22-22. A Lawrence kill put Concord up 23-22, but the Crusaders were able to extend the second game past 25. After a North Greenville error pushed CU up 26-25, and on the brink of closing out the set, but NGU scored the final three points to take the set.
Down 9-7 in the third game, Concord responded with five straight points that ended in consecutive kills from Pranckus. NGU answered with a 7-2 run to tie the third set at 14-14. CU had leads of 15-14 and 16-15, but could not fend off the Crusaders as they went on to win by five points.
Pranckus led the CU attack with nine kills. Lawrence had seven kills while junior setter
Jenna Mounts added 16 assists. Senior defensive specialist
Erin Shannon notched 18 digs.
Match 2: Concord 3 – Elizabeth City State 0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-12)
CU cruised past Elizabeth City State in its final match of the VSU Invite to earn its first win of the season.
The first set went back and forth as neither squad could grab momentum early. Up 16-14, the Mountain Lions finished the game scoring nine straight points to go up 1-0. The run included three kills from Pranckus as well as one a piece from sophomore right side
Kenzie Coulter and freshman middle hitter
Sheridan Herron.
Just like the first set, CU finished with a flurry in the second set. Holding a comfortable lead for majority of the game, Concord concluded the set on a 7-2 run to win by 10 points. Lawrence paced the spurt with two kills. Herron and freshman setter
Imani Rodgers both came up with one kill each.
An early run by Concord gave it the advantage it needed to put away the Vikings. Trailing 5-4, CU scored five straight points and never trailed again. The Mountain Lions also finished the match on an 11-2 run.
Pranckus tallied 14 kills and a .387 hitting percentage in the match. Senior middle hitter
Brooke Heck came up with eight kills. Rodgers (16 assists) and Mounts (15 assists) combined for 31 of the 35 CU assists.
The Mountain Lions are back in action Tuesday when they travel to Kentucky State for a triangular match against KSU and IU-Southeast.
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