BELMONT, N.C. – The Converse College volleyball team put together an energetic effort but it was not enough as the Valkyries fell 3-1 to Belmont Abbey on Tuesday evening inside the Wheeler Center. After the teams split the first two sets, Abbey took sets three and four to capture the Conference Carolinas win.
GAME INFORMATION
Scores: Converse 1, Belmont Abbey 3 (25-23, 23-25, 25-12, 25-18) Records: Converse (3-14, 0-3 CC), Belmont Abbey (6-10, 3-0 CC)
Location: Wheeler Center, Belmont, N.C.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Elizabeth Yohe recorded 20 digs to lead the defense.
- Lauren Tharrington tallied 10 assists and 10 digs to finish with a double-double.
- Lottie Hutson fueled the attack with a team-high 12 assists.
- Brittany Tepedino led the Purple and Gold with six kills.
- Kiara Cannon and Jasmine Finkley each recorded five kills.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
Converse came out strong in the opening set, collecting the first four points behind the service of Kelsey Elliott. However, Belmont Abbey came storming back with seven straight to take its first lead of the match. After the Crusaders built the lead to 12-7, a service error, attack error, and kill by Kirstin Christmas pulled the Vals to within 12-10.
The frame was back-and-forth from that point until Sara Grace Westmoreland gave the Purple and Gold their first lead (21-20) since early in the set following a service ace. Three ties would ensue, but with the score knotted at 23-all, Belmont Abbey took the final two points to take the set and 1-0 match lead.
Second Set
Set two was evenly contested as each team tried to establish any kind of lead over the other. Belmont Abbey looked poised to take the commanding 2-0 match lead after stretching out to a comfortable 22-19 lead late in the set.
However, Tepedino ripped the Crusaders defense with back-to-back service aces to give Converse the 24-22 lead. Abbey took one final point during the set but an error by the attack unit gave Converse the set win and tied the match at 1-1.
Third Set
Belmont Abbey took complete control of the third set early after tallying eight of the first nine points. That lead quickly ballooned to double-digits (18-8) and Abbey cruised to the 25-12 set win.
Fourth Set
A block by Christmas and Finkley gave Converse a 9-6 lead in the pivotal fourth set, but Abbey turned in a run of 6-0 to bring the momentum back to the home side of the court. Cannon mashed a kill to knot the set at 15-all. However that was the closest the frame would get as Belmont Abbey carried a run of 10-4 over the remainder of the set to capture the 3-1 match win.
UP NEXT
Converse will continue its five-game road swing, traveling to Murfreesboro, N.C. to take on Chowan University on Friday, October 4. That contest is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.