ATHENS, W.Va. – In a marathon five-set match that lasted over two hours, the Concord University volleyball team defeated WVU Tech Tuesday night in a non-conference contest at the Carter Center.
The Mountain Lions (1-1) returned the favored to WVU Tech (4-7) who beat CU in five sets Thursday night in a home match for WVUT.
The teams alternated the first four sets as WVU Tech won the first and third sets, 25-19 and 25-23. Concord won the even sets, 25-22 and 25-19. The Mountain Lions built a 10-5 lead in the decisive set before winning 15-12.
Set 1
In the home opener, CU came out swinging in the opening set as it built a 10-6 lead after a kill by senior outside hitter
Jessica King. Up 14-11 on the Golden Bears, Concord saw its lead go by the wayside as WVU Tech took an 18-15 advantage. The Mountain Lions scored consecutive points—the second on a kill by freshman outside hitter
Gracie Brackney—but WVU Tech maintained the lead for the remainder of the set.
Set 2
The Mountain Lions got in an early hole, 10-5, and still trailed 15-12, but five straight points gave Concord the lead. WVUT came back to tie the score at 17-17, 19-19 and 20-20, but two straight kills from sophomore right side
Csayjah Whitelow gave CU the lead for good. Freshman outside hitter
Hannah Steele finished off the set with two of her five kills in the second game alone.
Set 3
WVU Tech maintained a lead throughout a large portion of the middle game as it went up 18-12. Sparked by Brackney, junior middle hitter
Amber Hall and Steele, the Mountain Lions went on a 10-3 run to take a 22-21 edge. WVUT came right back and outscored CU 4-1 to go up 2-1 in the match.
Set 4
After WVU Tech scored the first point of the set, Concord never trailed again and built comfortable leads of 14-9 and 21-15 on its way to forcing a fifth set.
Set 5
The Mountain Lions used the fourth-set momentum to take a 10-5 lead in the final game. But, WVU Tech came back to get within 10-9. Hall's 20
th kill of the match restored a two-point edge, and CU never allowed the Golden Bears to tie the set as back-to-back WVUT attack errors ended the night.
Match Stats
Hall recorded a career-best 21 kills as she hit .475 in the match. It was the first 20-kill match in program history since
Ellie Lawrence had 20 kills on her Senior Night in 2018 against Glenville State. After not registering a kill in the opening set, Steele tallied 13 kills in the final four games. Steele also had nine digs. Brackney added 11 kills.
Senior setter
Imani Rodgers had her second straight double-double to start the season with 28 assists and 13 digs. Sophomore setter
Kristin Lough netted 26 assists.
As a team, Concord had 14 blocks with Whitelow and senior right side
Peyton Wiseman each chipping in six total blocks. CU hit .248 to WVU Tech's .162.
Concord travels to Emory & Henry 5:00 p.m. Friday.
Â
