EMORY, W.Va. – The Concord University volleyball team fended off an opening set loss to Emory & Henry to win the next three games on its way to winning a four-set match at the King Center Friday night in a non-conference match.
E&H (3-5) won the opening set, 26-24, before the Mountain Lions (2-1) took the next three sets, 25-23, 25-21, 25-18.
Set 1
Neither team was able to build momentum as the biggest lead for either was two points until Emory & Henry built a 22-19 lead deep in the opening game. However, CU came firing back as it went on a 5-1 run to lead 24-23. Freshman outside hitter
Gracie Brackney and junior middle hitter
Amber Hall both had a kill in the run. The lead was short lived for the Mountain Lions as E&H scored the final three points to win the game.
Set 2
Like the first set, the second game was back-and-forth until freshman outside hitter
Hannah Steele recorded back-to-back kills to give Concord a 20-17 edge. The Wasps closed to within 21-20, but would get no closer as Hall had consecutive kills to close out the set and knot the match at 1-1.
Set 3
Emory & Henry took control early in a pivotal third game, opening up a 10-6 lead. The Mountain Lions came storming back as it gained a 20-16 lead after a kill from Brackney. The duo of Brackney and senior outside hitter
Jessica King helped put the match away with back-to-back kills.
Set 4
Up 2-1 in the match, Concord left little doubt that it would need any more games to close out the Wasps. The Mountain Lions jumped out 13-5. Senior middle hitter
Sheridan Herron pitched in three of her seven kills for the match during the earlier part of the final game. Emory & Henry came back to get within 16-15, but never tied or took the lead as CU went on a 9-3 run to close the match.
Match Stats
Steele had 23 kills which was two shy of tying the program record for a single match. The Pearisburg, Virginia native only committed four errors in 42 swings as she hit .452. Hall added 14 kills as she hit .345. Brackney had nine kills while King matched Herron in kills.
Senior setter
Imani Rodgers registered 32 assists. Sophomore setter
Kristin Lough just missed a double-double with 25 assists and nine digs. Senior defensive specialist
Kelli Ellison had a career-best 24 digs.
Next Match
Concord travels to Seton Hill for two matches Saturday. First up is Indiana (Pa.) at 12:15 p.m. followed by taking on the host Griffins at 2:30 p.m.
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