Concord Beats Ohio Dominican in Four Sets

CLARION, Pa. – The Concord University volleyball team won a four-set match over Ohio Dominican Saturday morning to wrap up play at the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament on the campus of Clarion University. 
 
The Mountain Lions improve to 2-8 on the season while ODU is 2-5. 
 
All four sets were tightly contested as none were decided by more than three points. CU won the first two 26-24 and 25-22 before dropping a 25-22 decision in the third game. However, Concord took the fourth game 25-23. 
 
CU trailed for a portion of the first game as 4-0 run gave the Panthers a 14-11 lead, and Ohio Dominican maintained an advantage. On the verge of falling in the first set, down 24-21, Concord reeled off five straight points to win game one. Senior outside hitters Ellie Lawrence and Alexi Pranckus each had a kill with Lawrence adding a service ace in the spurt. 
 
The second set featured 12 ties with the final one coming at 22-22. Trailing late once again, 22-20, the Mountain Lions scored the final five points of the set. Senior middle hitter Brooke Heck had two kills while Lawrence notched the set-winning point with a kill. 
 
After ODU won the third game to pull within 2-1 of CU, Ohio Dominican kept the momentum by gaining a 14-9 lead in the fourth set. But the Mountain Lions fought back with a 7-2 run to pull even at 16-16. Included in the spurt were two kills from Lawrence as well as a kill from freshman outside hitter Peyton Wiseman. 
 
Concord extended the run by grabbing a 21-18 lead after back-to-back service aces from sophomore libero Lindsay Maddox and an ODU error. The cushion was enough for CU to hold off Ohio Dominican in the fourth game. 
 
Pranckus tallied her first double-double of the season with 16 kills and 12 digs. Lawrence and Heck followed with 13 and 10 kills, respectively. 
 
Freshman setter Imani Rodgers recorded a career-best 23 assists while junior setter Jenna Mounts added 19 assists. Maddx had 20 digs. 
 
The Mountain Lions begin play at the Concord Classic at WVU Tech 7:00 p.m. Thursday against Gannon. The first match for CU at the Carter Center as part of the Concord Classic will be 2:00 p.m. Friday versus Lees-McRae.