Concord Drops Non-Conference Contest at Lees-McRae

BANNER ELK, N.C. – The Concord University volleyball team lost a non-conference match to Lees-McRae 3-0 at Williams Gymnasium Wednesday evening.
 
Set 1
Sophomore right side Natalie Brown and sophomore outside hitter Meg Williams got CU (1-8) on the board with a pair of kills to lead 2-1. Then, senior middle hitter Kyndra Pilant served an ace to extend the lead. After LMC (7-1) regained the lead, sophomore middle hitter Meagan Poticher and sophomore outside hitter Chloe Thompson led a Concord charge to knot the set 8-8. Williams added two more kills later in the set to keep CU close as it trailed 15-14. Pilant, Williams, and Thompson swung for four kills each in the frame, but the Bobcats outlasted CU 25-22.
 
Set 2
The Bobcats took control of the scoreboard early, but a 3-0 run led by Thompson and Pilant put the Mountain Lions within four, 14-10. Williams led a scoring push of her own, drilling two kills as Concord got within three, 17-14. However, a Lees-McRae attack error would be the final points for the Maroon and Gray in the set as LMC took a 2-0 lead.

Set 3
Williams took over at the start of the third game, serving four aces and swinging for two kills as CU grabbed an 8-4 advantage on the strength of a 6-1 run. The Bobcats would go on a run of their own, but not before senior middle hitter Reese Turner and Pilant collaborated on a block that brought the score to 11-10 in favor of LMC. Another kill from Williams and a service ace from Pilant later in the match gave Concord the lead back, 15-13. As teams traded points, Brown and sophomore middle hitter Jasmine Anderson blocked a Bobcats attack to stay ahead 16-15. CU would score four more times in the frame, but Lees-McRae closed out the sweep, 25-20.  

Match Stats
Williams led all Mountain Lions with 12 kills and tied her career-best mark with four aces. As a team, CU served up seven aces, tying the most this season. Sophomore setter Paige Richmond recorded 16 assists. Pilant added eight kills on a .412 hitting percentage.

The Mountain Lions will host the Concord Classic this weekend in Athens, W.Va. beginning with Davis & Elkins Friday at the Carter Center.