Concord Sweeps Home-Opening Games Against Davis & Elkins, Virginia State

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University volleyball team defeated Davis & Elkins 3-0 and Virginia State 3-2 in its first two home matches played at the Concord Classic inside the Carter Center Friday evening.
 
Game 1: Concord 3 – Davis & Elkins 0 (25-10, 25-15, 25-20)
 
Set 1
The Mountain Lions (3-8) got on the board quickly with a block from sophomore right side Natalie Brown and senior middle hitter Kyndra Pilant, as well as a service ace from sophomore setter Paige Richmond. Pilant served an ace of her own as Concord led 5-2. Sophomore outside hitter Chloe Thompson doubled up on back-to-back kills got extend the lead to five, 10-5. Then, Thompson capped off a three-point CU swing with another ace to go up 14-8. The Mountain Lions finished the opening game on an 11-1 scoring run, led by sophomore setter Declyn Tooze with two service aces. In the set, Concord served five aces to grab the first set, 25-10.
 
Set 2
The Senators and Mountain Lions traded points in the early going of set two, but CU maintained a one-point edge 7-6. A seven-point scoring spurt would be in order for CU as Pilant and Thompson swung for kills to get the run started. Richmond added two aces to close out the run and extend the lead, 14-6. Brown, sophomore middle hitter Jasmine Anderson and freshman right side Maddie Stull kept D&E at bay, each adding a kill that would see Concord take a 2-0 lead in the match, 25-15.
 
Set 3
Davis & Elkins held a four-point edge, 8-4, as the third frame got underway. Stull, Thompson, and Williams added points to trail by one, 10-9. A block from Anderson and Stull knotted the scoring at 13-13. Following a three-point swing from the Senators, CU countered with a massive charge of its own. Thompson smashed two kills that tied the game 19-19. Then, four consecutive Concord team blocks sealed the Mountain Lions sweep 25-20. Brown and Pilant were responsible for all four team blocks that closed out the match.  
 
Match Stats
The Mountain Lions hit for their best hitting percentage on the season, swinging a .297 mark. Tooze clinched her first double-double of the 2024 campaign, collecting 13 assists and 10 digs while also serving up three aces. Richmond tied Tooze for the team-lead of three aces and led CU with 17 assists. Pialnt finished with seven total blocks, one shy of her career-best. Brown (four), Anderson (three), and Williams (three) also helped out on the defensive front as CU logged six solo blocks and 14 assisted blocks.
 
Game 2: Concord 3 – Virginia State 2 (25-15, 25-10, 24-26, 22-25, 15-11)
 
Set 1
Thompson, Pilant, and Williams hit for consecutive kills to open the second match of the evening for CU. Anderson assisted on a block and recorded a kill directly after to hold the early Concord lead, 6-5. After VSU tied things up at 8-8, the Maroon and Gray opened up the scoring. Sophomore defensive specialist Allie Davis served two aces while Pilant teamed up with sophomore middle hitter Meagan Poticher to break off five-straight points for the Mountain Lions and hold a 13-8 advantage. CU also scored five consecutive points late in the set to extend the lead, 22-14. Williams then closed out the frame 25-15 with another ace.
 
Set 2
A pair of VSU attack errors got CU on the board and in control early, 5-2. Building off of the momentum in the first set, Concord charged a seven-point scoring spurt to lead 16-7. During the run, Pilant hit for three kills and Brown added two of her own. The Mountain Lions weren't done there, scoring eight consecutive points to take a 2-0 edge in the match. Three team blocks headlined the closing run, as well as kills from Brown and Williams. Concord hit a collective .500 in the second set.
 
Set 3
Three kills from Thompson built a 9-5 edge to begin the third frame. A pair of quick runs by the Trojans saw VSU grab a 16-13 lead midway through the game. Then, kills from Brown and Williams brought Concord within one, 16-15. Thompson tied the set 19-19 and another kill from Thompson fronted a 3-0 charge to give CU the lead, 22-20. However, it was not enough as VSU won the set 26-24.
 
Set 4
Three setting errors from Virginia State put Concord ahead 5-2 in the fourth. Williams added a pair of kills before the Trojans went on a scoring spurt of their own and jumped ahead 11-9. Brown and Williams put the Mountain Lions up 17-16, but could not close out the match as VSU forced a winner-take-all fifth set, 25-22.
 
Set 5
The Trojans controlled the opening half of the fifth frame as they led 8-4. After switching positions on the sidelines, Concord had one more scoring blitz that would seal the deal. Thompson and Pilant traded a pair of kills and Tooze capped five-straight points for the Mountain Lions to give CU the edge 9-8. VSU would not lead again as Pilant added a kill and a block late in the set to give Concord its second win of the day.
 
Match Stats
Williams (15 kills, 19 digs), Thompson (13 kills, 10 digs), and Tooze (19 assists, 14 digs) all notched double-doubles in the match. Pilant and Brown also hit for double-digits, smashing 11 kills each. Pilant blocked four Virginia State attacks alongside Brown and Williams who had three blocks each. Davis led CU with 27 digs and a .950 reception percentage.
 
The Mountain Lions conclude the 2024 Concord Classic with matches against Pikeville at 2:00 p.m. and Bluefield State at 6:00 p.m. Saturday.