BANNER ELK, N.C. – The Converse University volleyball team fell in back-to-back games this weekend to King and Lees-McRae.
 
With the loss Converse falls to 8-19 overall and 7-8 in Conference Carolinas action. The Valkyries are 6-3 at home this season but end the regular season 2-11 in road games and 0-5 in neutral site competitions.
 
Match One: King 3, Converse 2

• Converse opened up the first set on a 7-3 run before King countered with a run of their own. A late 3-0 run from King tied the match at 17, the Valkyries ended the period on 6-1 run to take the set 25-19.
• The Valkyries recorded 13 kills in the set and posted a .156 hitting percentage in the first set.
• In the second set, King held the early lead with a 11-7 advantage over the Valkyries before Converse countered with a run of their own. Converse tied the set at 13 but moments later trailed 18-13 to King.
• Following a late rally by Converse, King won the second set 25-23 to even the match at one each.
• In the third set the Valkyries opened up the period on a 10-4 run before King countered with a 4-0 run of their own. Late in the stanza, Converse took a 22-16 lead and went on to win the period 25-19.
• King began the fourth set with a 16-11 advantage over Converse and closed the set on a 5-1 run. The Tornados 25-19 set win sent the match into a fifth and decisive set.
• In the fifth set, King raced out to a 5-2 lead before Converse began to counter. The two schools were deadlocked at 14, when Converse had their first chance at match point. King fended off the Valkyries attack as the two team then matched one another point-for-point over the next few minutes of game time. King won the final three points of the set and won 23-21.
• Evelyn Fitz recorded a double-double with a team leading 16 kills and finished with 13 digs. Tori Barr finished second on the team with 13 total kills, while Madison Gregory posted a career high 50 assists and finished with 13 digs.
• Mackenzie Day finished with a team high 35 digs, Tia Gripado finished second on the team with 17 digs, while Jasmine Hamilton and Ariel Bryant each recorded 10 digs in the loss.   

 
Match Two: Lees-McRae 3, Converse 1

• It was a back-and-forth opening set between the two teams before Converse used a 3-0 spurt to take an early 9-5 advantage. Later in the set Lees-McRae used a 6-0 rally to take an 18-16 lead over the Valkyries.
• Following a late 3-0 for Converse, the Valkyries held set point at 25-24 before Patrycja Rykala tied the set with a kill. The two teams continued to trade points until Barr and Gripado blocked the Bobcats shot to give the Valkyries a 33-32 lead. Gripado ended the set with a kill to give the Valkyries a one set lead.
• In the second set the Bobcats were able to gain the early momentum with a 10-5 run to open up the stanza. Converse rallied late and came within a pair of points at 19-17. Lees-McRae held on for a 25-20 second set win.
• The Bobcats opened the third set on a 6-2 run before Converse started their counter attack. Trailing 16-12, Converse used a 4-0 to tie the set at 16. Moments later, the Bobcats built a 22-18 advantage and won the third set 25-21.
• In the fourth set the two teams were deadlocked at 11 through first 22 points of the frame. A 3-0 spurt by Converse put the Valkyries up 14-11 midway through the fourth stanza.
• Lees-McRae used a 7-0 run late in the fourth period to take a decisive 21-16 advantage over the Valkyries. The Bobcats went on to win the set by a final score of 25-21.  

 
Next Up:
Converse will be back at home on Monday night in the Weisiger Center for Senior Day. The Valkyries will battle Erskine for the second time this season as they look to end the regular season with a win.  
 
 
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