FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Concord University volleyball team fell twice in a triangular match at Kentucky State Tuesday inside the Exum Center.
The Mountain Lions (1-5) lost to Indiana-Southeast in three sets and were also swept by KSU.
Match 1: Indiana-Southeast 3 – Concord 0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-22)
Eleven of the first 15 points in the first set belonged to IUSE as it never saw its lead dwindle below five points for the remainder of the first set in an eight-point win.
IU-Southeast also started well in the second game as it opened up a 10-5 edge on the Mountain Lions. A kill from senior middle hitter
Brooke Heck got CU to within 12-7 a few points later, but it was as close as Concord would get for the remainder of the second set.
After trailing for the entirety of the third set and by as much as five, 17-12, CU reeled off a 10-6 run to get with 23-22 of IU-Southeast in the game after an error. However, IUSE scored the final two points to take the set and the match.
Senior outside hitter
Alexi Pranckus paced Concord with nine kills while fellow senior outside hitter
Ellie Lawrence had eight kills. Junior setter
Jenna Mounts notched 18 assists.
Match 2: Kentucky State 3 – Concord 0 (25-19, 25-20, 28-26)
Both teams battled through the first 20 points of the match with neither team leading by more than a point during the stretch. Kentucky State was able to go on a brief 6-3 run to open up a 16-13 edge on CU. A Pranckus kill got Concord to with 17-16 to cap a 4-1 run, but it was as close as the Mountain Lions got in the first set.
The second set was similar to the first game as both teams sought momentum early. KSU led 11-9 before back-to-back kills from Heck and Lawrence punctuated a 6-2 Concord spurt, putting the Maroon and Gray up 15-13. The Thorobreds came right back with four of the next five points to open up a 17-16 edge on their way to a set two victory.
Concord opened up the third game by scoring five of the first seven points after consecutive kills by Pranckus. After Kentucky State tied the game at 6-6, neither team could push ahead by more than one point. At 21-21, the next three points were scored by Concord on a KSU error and kills from freshman right side
Camryn Huber and Pranckus to put the Mountain Lions on the brink of forcing a fourth set, however, KSU scored the next four points to go up 25-24. The run spurred Kentucky State to a three-set win.
Pranckus tallied 15 kills in the defeat. Huber and Lawrence each added six kills. Mounts finished three assists shy of a career best with 23.
The Mountain Lions travel to the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament hosted by Clarion. CU will take on the host 6:00 p.m. Thursday.
