CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Concord University volleyball lost a pair of games at the Queens Classic to open the season as it fell in three sets to 24
th-ranked Nova Southeastern and lost in four sets to Mount Olive.
Match 1: Nova Southeastern 3 – Concord 0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-23)
Set 1
The Sharks were able to separate themselves from Concord early in the set. With the score 8-5, NSU scored six straight points. CU closed to within 17-9 after consecutive Sharks' errors. However, it was as close as the Mountain Lions would get in the game.
Set 2
Concord shook off the tough first set, and controlled the early portion of the set as it went up 15-9 after a service as from sophomore outside hitter
Hannah Steele. The Sharks were able to rally to tie the set at 16-16. Sophomore outside hitter
Gracie Brackney tallied a kill to give CU an edge, but four straight points from NSU allowed it to seize momentum.
Set 3
A 4-0 run gave the Maroon and Gray a 12-10 lead at the midway point of the game. Both teams looked to control the momentum as Concord held leads of 17-15, 19-17 and 20-18. The latter lead was on the heels of a kill from junior middle hitter
Kyndra Pilant. Steele's kill broke a 20-20 tie, but Nova Southeastern was able to edge CU.
Match Stats
Freshman setter
Kenzee Chaffin notched 17 assists and five digs. Steele recorded a team-best six kills while Pilant had five.
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Match 2: Mount Olive 3 – Concord 1 (25-17, 25-27, 25-5, 25-11)
Set 1
Neither team led by more than three points until UMO broke off a quick 3-0 run, already with a 17-15 lead. The Mountain Lions scored two straight points with one coming on a service ace from Brackney. But five more unanswered points from the Trojans put CU in an early hole.
Set 2
Concord quickly rebounded in the second game as it jumped out an 11-5 lead as a 6-0 run was fueled by five Mount Olive errors. The Trojans answered CU's early advantage as it went on an extended 13-6 run to lead 18-17. Down to set point at 24-22, Concord registered consecutive points to extend the game. Concord leaned on Steele to close out the set as she came up with two straight kill to seal a two-point win.
Set 3
UMO jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the crucial third game as it grabbed a 2-1 lead in the match.
Set 4
The Mountain Lions were unable to recover from a 13-3 deficit in the fourth set. Concord go as close as 18-7 in the middle of the game, but did not get any closer.
Match Stats
Steele netted nine kills. Junior middle hitter
Csayjah Whitelow came up with a career-high eight kills. Brackney tallied a career-high 15 digs while sophomore defensive specialist
Kaylee Spees collected 14 digs.
Chaffin handed out 19 assists and added eight digs.
The Mountain Lions finish out play at Queens with a 10:00 a.m. Saturday match against North Greenville and a 4:00 p.m. start versus Wingate.
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