ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University volleyball team went 1-1 on the second day of the Concord Classic as it swept UVa.-Wise before losing to Indiana (Pa.) in four sets in a pair of matches at the Carter Center.
The Mountain Lions are now 2-5 on the year.
Match 1: Concord 3 – UVa.-Wise 0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-20)
Set 1
The Mountain Lions pulled away from Cavaliers as it never trailed after an early 6-5 deficit. CU also built its biggest lead at 18-11 after three points on two UVa.-Wise errors, and a kill from senior middle hitter
Amber Hall. The Cavaliers closed to within 23-19, but a serving error and a kill from sophomore middle hitter
Gracie Brackney clinched the first game.
Set 2
The end of the first set helped Brackney to a big second game as she collected six kills during the set. CU jumped out to a 7-1 advantage before UVa.-Wise go back to 15-13. However, consecutive kills from Brackney and junior middle hitter
Kyndra Pilant ended the threat. The lead grew to as much as seven, 22-15, before Concord settled for a five-point victory.
Set 3
CU used a 4-0 run at 10-9 to gain the separation it needed to clinch a sweep. And sophomore outside hitter
Hannah Steele was responsible for all the scoring as she recorded a kill and three service aces. UVa.-Wise chipped away to only trail 22-20, but the final three points of the matched belonged to CU.
Match Stats
Steele notched her first double-double of the season with 13 kills and 10 digs. She added four aces. Powered by a strong middle game, Brackney was one off her career high with 10 kills and nine digs. Freshman setter
Kenzee Chaffin just missed a double-double with 31 assists and nine digs.
The Mountain Lions hit .270 in the match, and racked up six blocks.
Match 2: IUP 3 – Concord 1 (25-16, 25-22, 15-25, 25-12)
Set 1
IUP was able to pull away from the Mountain Lions midway through the opening game. Trailing by just two points, 12-10, after a Steele kill, CU watched the Crimson Hawks go an 8-1 run. Concord closed to seven points a few times, but was unable to get any closer.
Set 2
Ten of the first 13 points in the second game belonged the Mountain Lions, but CU was unable to hold onto the early momentum as IUP stormed back. The early scoring for Concord was highlighted by Chaffin's two service aces. After the Crimson Hawks built a 24-19 edge, the Maroon and Gray made a small run with three consecutive points, but the set was closed out by IUP.
Set 3
Concord guaranteed a fourth game with a scoring run just past the halfway mark of the set. Tied at 14-14, the Mountain Lions held IUP to just one point for the remainder of the set. It was a plethora of Crimson Hawk errors that allowed CU to win. Steele came up with a pair of kills while Pilant closed out the set with a kill.
Set 4
Pilant stemmed the tide in the fourth game with a kill to make the score 10-8. But, IUP rattled off a 9-1 run to win the fourth game.
Match Stats
Six different players had at least four kills for CU in the nightcap, led by Steele's seven. Chaffin had 19 assists, nine kills and two aces. Pilant chipped in five kills, six digs and three blocks.
Concord returns to the court 10:00 a.m. Saturday against West Georgia before closing out the Concord Classic against California (Pa.) 6:00 p.m.
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