The Matchup
Friday:
Converse (0-0) vs USC Aiken (0-0), 3:00 p.m.
Converse (0-0) vs Lenoir-Rhyne (0-0), 7:00 p.m.
 
Saturday:
Converse (0-0) vs Valdosta State (0-0), 12:00 p.m.
 
Location: Hickory, N.C.
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The Tournament:
This will be the 12^th consecutive season the Converse University volleyball team will be traveling to start the year. The Lenoir-Rhyne Invitational will be the first of two tournaments for the Valkyries season. This weekend the Valkyries will battle against USC Aiken, Lenoir-Rhyne and Valdosta State.
 
Converse Notes:

• Last season, Converse finished 9-19 overall and 5-13 in Conference Carolinas action.
• The Valkyries finished fifth in the West Division and won their first ever Conference Carolinas Tournament match against Lees-McRae.
• Head Coach Alexis Ivey enters her second season at the helm of the Valkyries volleyball program. Ivey set the school record for wins by a first year coach and helped senior Jasmine Finkley earn a spot on the All-Conference team.
• The Valkyries return 10 players from last season's team as the core looks to build upon their late season success.
• A total of 8 newcomers have joined the Valkyries this offseason as they look to push the team to new heights this year.
• MacKenzie Schmucker (Myakka City, Fla.) returns for her second season with the Valkyries. The sophomore setter was named to the preseason watch list by Conference Carolinas, after she tallied 43 kills, 311 assists and 94 digs during her freshman campaign.
• Joining Schmucker on the preseason watch list were Tia Gripado (Tulsa, Okla.) and Alayah Robertson (Clayton, N.C.). Gripado is a two-year transfer from Southwest Baptist, where she appeared in 47 matches and accumulated 133 kills and 66 digs.
• Robertson is an incoming freshman who was a dual sport athlete in high school. The Tar Heel State native concluded her prep career with 900 kills and 344 total blocks.
• Seniors Mackenzie Day (Columbia, S.C.), Evelyn Fitz (Columbia, S.C.) and Jasmine Hamilton (Bluffton, S.C.) all return for the final season in Spartanburg. Day led the team with 455 digs last season, while Fitz returns as the leading offensive threat with 222 kills. Hamilton, meanwhile finished with 10 service aces for the Valkyries.
• Converse is 0-4 all-time against USC Aiken and the two teams have played each other three consecutive seasons in a row.
• Converse 0-6 against Lenoir-Rhyne and they have not played since a 2015 matchup in Hickory, resulted in a 3-0 Bears win.
• Against Valdosta State, Converse is 0-2 and the two squads have not played since the 2019 season.

 
USC Aiken Notes:

• USC Aiken finished last season 19-14 overall and 6-9 in the Peach Belt Conference.
• The Pacers became the first five seed to make it to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Finals before losing in five sets to Flagler College.
• USC Aiken lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament to Wingate by a final score of 3-1.
• Juniors Emily Lammers and Sadie McKay return as the catalyst for the Pacers offense. Lammers led the team with 386 kills and finished third on the team with 330 digs, meanwhile, McKay finished second on the team in both kills (362) and digs (342).
• Mallory Barash returns for her final season in the red and blue as the Pacers primary setter. Barash concluded the 2022 season with a team high 839 assists.
• Kari Mercer returns for her final season as the Pacers starting libero. Mercer led the team a season ago with 666 digs. Anna Sommer returns for her sophomore season after she led the team with 58 blocks as a true freshman.  

 
Lenoir-Rhyne Notes:

• Lenoir-Rhyne finished 18-9 overall and 13-5 in South Atlantic Conference action.
• The Bears finished second in the Piedmont Division behind nationally ranked Wingate. Lenoir-Rhyne fell in the quarterfinals round of the SAC Volleyball Championships.
• SAC Freshman of the Year Emmaleigh Allen returns for her sophomore season and is the leading offensive threat for the Bears. Allen finished second on the team last season with 263 kills. Allen is also returning leader in digs (248) and blocks (31).  
• Rachel Wildermuth will look to take over primary setting duties as Mackenzie Hulsey graduated at the end of the season. Wildermuth finished second on the team with 199 assists last year.

 
Valdosta State Notes:

• Valdosta State finished the season 14-19 overall and 8-8 in Gulf South Conference play.
• The Blazers fell 3-1 in the opening round of the Gulf South Tournament to Auburn Montgomery last season.
• Juniors Jojo Smith and Mackenzie Murray return as the primary options for the Blazers offense. Smith led the team with 326 kills, while Murray finished second on the team with 258 kills. Smith is also the returning leader in digs with 228 last season.
• Giulia Dias and Audrey Bennett both return as the primary setters for the Valdosta State offense. Dias led the team with 444 assists last season, while Bennett was close behind with 304 assists.
• Christina Pettigrew returns as the teams block leader from a season ago. Pettigrew finished the 2022 campaign with 123 total blocks.

 
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