SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Converse University volleyball went the distance and knocked off top ranked North Greenville in a 3-2 thriller inside the Weisiger Center on Friday night.
With the win Converse improves to 4-12 overall and 3-4 in Conference Carolinas play. The Valkyries handed North Greenville their first conference loss of the season as the Crusaders fall to 15-4 overall and 7-1 in Conference Carolinas action.
It was a back-and-forth battle from the start as the Valkyries offense fed off a raucous crowd inside the Weisiger Center. Through the first 16 points of the set the two squads were dead even at 8-8. North Greenville took the slight edge at 9-8, but the Valkyries fired back with three consecutive points to take an 11-9 lead. Moments later the set was once again tied 14-14, a late three-point rally by Converse put the Valkyries in the driver's seat at 19-15.
Holding a 24-22 advantage and the first set point of the match the Valkyries seemed poised to take the opening set with ease. The Crusaders fired back with three consecutive points and forced the first set to go into extra volleyball. Knotted at 26, Evelyn fired a kill past the North Greenville and the Valkyries had set point once again.
Alayah Robertson served out the opening set with a service ace and took the set 28-26.
In the second set the two squads were once again deadlocked at 7-7 through first 14 points of the set. This time it was North Greenville who took a three-point swing to take the early advantage in the set. The Valkyries attempted to close the gap late in the second set down 18-15 but the Crusaders were too strong as they won the final five points of the set to even the match.
The Valkyries offense appeared to be energized from the crowd once again as they won eight of the first ten points in the third stanza. The Crusaders countered with a 4-0 run to quiet the crowd and pull back within a pair of Converse at 8-6. Late in the set Fitz recorded a kill off a North Greenville block error and the Valkyries held a 19-17 advantage. It was short lived, however, as the Crusaders used a late 3-0 run to take the lead back from Converse.
Tia Gripado tied the set at 23 moments later, but North Greenville won the final two points to a take a two sets to one lead.
Despite trailing by one set the Valkyries showed that they were the more energetic team in the fourth set as they opened the frame on a 7-3 run. The Valkyries kept the momentum throughout the set, North Greenville found a lull in the Converse offense and came within a trio of points at 13-10. However, the Valkyries rattled off four consecutive points and forced North Greenville to call a timeout down 17-10. Converse sent the match into a decisive fifth set following a 25-17 fourth set win.
As it had been all night the two teams matched one another point-for-point through the first 18 points of the fifth set. North Greenville made the first move with a 3-0 run and took a 12-9 advantage to force a Converse timeout. The Valkyries responded with four consecutive points and a 13-12 advantage late in the period. North Greenville held off the first match point of the set and tied the game at 14, an attack error by the Crusaders gave Converse their second match point of the night. This time the Valkyries did not take any chances as they blocked the final shot of the match to win 16-14 over the Crusaders.
Converse recorded a team high 18 kills in the opening set in the Crusaders, while North Greenville registered 18 kills in the second stanza. Converse hit a game high .452 in the fourth set to keep the match alive, while North Greenville hit a team best .361 in the second set.
Converse edged out the Crusaders in total points 83-82, North Greenville collected nine more kills than the Valkyries (71-62) but it was Converse that that recoded six aces in the match to take the statistical category for the night. The Valkyries defense blocked 15 shots and limited North Greenville to just 9 blocks on the night. North Greenville finished the match with more assists (69) and digs (83) than Converse.
Fitz led the Valkyries offense with 21 kills in the match and Gripado finished second on the team with 13 kills.
Alayah Robertson and
Tori Barr both finished third on the team with eight kills each against the Crusaders. Gripado was one of two Valkyries to finish the night with a double-double as she added 12 digs.
MacKenzie Schmucker finished with a career high 52 assists and recorded her second double-double of the week with a 12-dig performance.
Mackenzie Day led the team with a 20-dig outing on the night and is now 7 digs away from 1,000 career digs. Robertson led the team with eight total blocks on the night, Barr was second on the team with six total blocks and Fitz finished with four blocks.
Next Up:
Converse will be back at home tomorrow afternoon against Southern Wesleyan. First serve is set for a 2:00 p.m. start time inside the Weisiger Center.
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