DUE WEST, S.C. – The Converse University volleyball team stormed back to knock off Erskine 3-2 in a five-set thriller on Wednesday night, with the win the Valkyries start Conference Carolinas 1-0 for the first time since joining the conference.
 
Converse (2-5, 1-0 CC) has now defeated Erskine (2-7, 0-1 CC) in back-to-back five set matches and won at Erskine for just the second time ever. Despite being out hit and out blocked by the Flying Fleet, the Valkyries hung around and picked up the gritty win.
 
After a less than memorable first set the Valkyries came alive and hit a team high 12 kills in the set to tie the match at one set each. In the third set the Valkyries found themselves down once again, but rebounded in the fourth set. In the fourth stanza, Converse rattled off 10 kills to edge out the Flying Fleet 25-20 and forced a fifth and final set. In the final set of the evening, Converse hit .500 for the set and recorded eight kills and zero hitting errors to escape Due West with the victory.
 
Erskine won the statistical category in kills 47-40, aces 11-5, blocks 12-4 and assists 44-38. While Converse picked up their lone statistical win of the night in the digs category 83-80. Savannah Ducote (Lexington, S.C.) collected her first double-double of the season, with a 22 assist and 16 dig performance on the night. Jasmine Finkley (Blythewood, S.C.) led the Valkyries attack with 15 kills on the evening and recorded a pair of blocks on the defensive side of the net.
 
Anna Rabon (Little River, S.C.) finished second on the team seven kills but posted a team high four aces against the Flying Fleet. Evelyn Fitz (Columbia, S.C.) recorded six kills and finished second on the team with 16 digs. Mackenzie Day (Columbia, S.C.) finished with a team high 26 digs and Mackenzie Schmucker (Myaaka City, Fla.) finished with 13 assists on the evening.
 
Converse will stay on the road this weekend with a trip down to the low country of South Carolina. The Valkyries will compete in the Francis Marion Tournament with matches against Young Harris and Fayetteville State this weekend. For more information on the Converse volleyball team, log onto govalkyries.com today.
 
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