Concord Wins Two Matches at Cavalier Classic with Late-Set Surges

WISE, Va. – The Concord University volleyball team began its season with victories over UVa.-Wise and Lees-McRae on the first day of the Cavalier Classic inside the Prior Center.
 
Match 1: Concord 3 – UVa.-Wise 1 (26-24, 25-20, 16-25, 25-15)

Set 1
Concord trailed 20-16 in the latter half of the opening set before a comeback that was spearheaded by freshman outside hitter Meg Williams. Williams scored five of Concord's last nine points. The set was neck-and-neck at the start before the Cavaliers would have the slight advantage 20-16. CU would make a 6-0 run before ultimately winning the set 26-24.

Set 2
The Mountain Lions got out to a commanding 5-0 start behind a pair of kills from freshman outside hitter Chloe Thompson. UVa.-Wise would bring the score to 11-9, but Concord would rattle off seven straight points to lead 18-9. Despite a resilient Cavalier effort, the Mountain Lions would close out the set 25-20 with the help of freshman right side Natalie Brown's two kills.

Set 3
CU traded back-and-forth and trailed 12-11 early in game three. A rally by UVa.-Wise would close out the frame with a final score of 25-16 in favor of the Cavaliers.

Set 4
Concord broke away with a 13-3 run to make the score 19-9 behind six blocks by senior middle hitter Kyndra Pilant. The Mountain Lions would close out the game on a kill by junior middle hitter Csayjah Whitelow, 25-15.
 
Match Stats
Williams led the way with 18 total kills in the season-opening match. Thompson recorded a double-double in her first career game, totaling 13 kills and 26 digs. Pilant led in blocks with six on the match along with nine kills. Freshman setter Paige Richmond assisted on 33 points for the Mountain Lions, with fellow freshman setter Declyn Tooze helping on 16. Richmond added nine digs
 
Match 2: Concord 3 – Lees-McRae 2 (18-25, 27-25, 17-25, 25-19, 15-13)
 
Set 1
would tally four kills in a row to keep CU within seven points midway through the opening frame. The Bobcats would fend off the comeback-minded Mountain Lions 25-18.

Set 2
A slow start for the Mountain Lions would be erased when Concord broke off an 11-2 run to lead the set 14-11. Concord would fend off a late set comeback and defeat the Bobcats in a 27-25 thriller finished off by Brown's kill.

Set 3
A run led by Williams and freshman middle hitter Meagan Poticher brought the Mountain Lions within three. The run wasn't enough as the Bobcats would take the set 25-17.

Set 4
The Mountain Lions grabbed a fast lead led by Pilant and MegWilliams, 13-4. CU would close out the set 25-19 behind kills from Brown and an ace from junior defensive specialist Alexis Anzevino.

Set 5
The winner-take-all set started off quiet for the Mountain Lions, as they quickly found themselves in a 5-1 deficit. A couple of kills by Brown ignited a CU comeback to even the set at 5-5. After trading points, Concord found itself at a tie at 12-12. Back-to-back attack errors put the Mountain Lions in the driver's seat. Williams closed out the game 15-13, assisted by Paige Richmond.

Match Stats
Williams led Concord with 17 kills, followed by Brown with 12.  recorded her second double-double of the day tallying 10 kills paired with 12 digs. Csayjah Whitelow led the team in blocks with seven total. Paige Richmond collected 23 assists, along with Declyn Tooze supplying 18. Freshman defensive specialist Allie Davis and Anzevino held strong on defense picking up 27 and 18 digs, respectively.

CU takes on Johnson C. Smith 11:00 a.m. Friday followed by a matchup with Davis & Elkins at 3:00 p.m. to close the Cavalier Classic