The Matchup
Friday:
Converse (0-0) at Valdosta State (0-0), 9:00 a.m.
Converse (0-0) vs Erskine (0-0), 2:00 p.m.
 
Saturday:
Converse (0-0) vs Winston-Salem State (0-0), 9:00 a.m.
Converse (0-0) vs Rollins (0-0), 4:30 p.m.
 
Location: Valdosta, Ga.
Tournament Home Page
Live Stats Link
 
The Tournament:
This will be the 13^th consecutive season the Converse University volleyball team will be traveling to start the year. The Valdosta State Invitational will be the first of two tournaments for the Valkyries season. This weekend the Valkyries will battle against Erskine, Rollins, Valdosta State, and Winston-Salem State.
 
Converse Notes:

• Last season, Converse finished 10-20 overall and 8-8 in Conference Carolinas action.
• The Valkyries finished second in the Northwest Division and reached the second round of the Conference Carolinas tournament for the second straight season.  
• Head Coach Alexis Ivey enters her third season at the helm of the Valkyries volleyball program. Ivey is the first coach this decade to guide the volleyball program to back-to-back Conference Carolinas tournament appearances.  
• The Valkyries return 12 players from last season's team as the core looks to build upon their late season success.
• A total of five newcomers have joined the Valkyries this offseason as they look to push the team to new heights this year.
• Ariel Bryant (Fort Mill, S.C.) returns for her sophomore season and the Valkyries top offensive weapon from a season ago. Bryant finished with 173 kills, while Tori Barr (Ninety Six, S.C.) and Alayah Robertson (Clayton, N.C.) finished right behind with 140 and 138 kills each.  
• Barr and Robertson also made an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball a season ago. Robertson led the team with 86 total blocks and Barr finished second on the team with 84 total blocks.
• Mackenzie Day (Columbia, S.C.) is returning for her fifth season in the Purple & Gold. Day led the team a season ago with 494 digs and 26 service aces.
• Converse is 0-3 all-time against Valdosta State, last season the two teams met in Hickory, N.C., where the Blazers got the better of the Valkyries.
• This will be the first non-conference neutral site matchup between Converse and Erskine in program history. The Valkyries defeated the flying Fleet 3-1 last season, but trail in the overall series 7-21.
• Converse is 2-0 all-time against Winston-Salem State, with both meetings happening during the 2018 season. Last time out against Winston-Salem State, the Valkyries swept the Rams in the process.
• This will be the Valkyries first ever meeting against Rollins College.

 
Valdosta State Notes:

• Valdosta State went 19-14 overall last season and 10-6 in the Gulf South Conference.
• The Blazers finished fifth in the Conference and lost in the second round of the Gulf South Tournament to Montevallo in five sets.
• Mackenzie Murray, JoJo Smith, and Christina Pettigrew all return for their final season for the Blazers. Murray led the team with 341 kills, Smith was second on the team with 310 kills and Pettigrew was third on the team with 286 kills.
• Audrey Bennett also returns for her senior season for the Blazers. The Sunflower State native led the team with 963 assists a season ago.
• Kaia Baker completes the senior core for the Blazers along the backline. Baker led the team with 450 digs. Pettigrew led the team with 114 total blocks and Katie Callenberger was second on the team with 88 total blocks.
• This will be the Blazers first ever matchup against both Erskine College and Winston-Salem State. Against Rollins College, the Blazers are 2-4 dating back to the 2010 season.  

 
Erskine Notes:

• Erskine went 7-23 overall last season and 4-13 in Conference Carolinas action.
• The Flying Fleet finished fourth in the Southwest Division and missed the Conference Carolinas Tournament.
• The Flying Fleet's top-three offensive weapons all return from a season ago. Becca Yohe led the team with 255 kills, Ali Angell finished second on the team with 253 kills and Ryleigh Taylor posted 130 kills.
• Ailena Mykins returns for her sophomore season as the Flying Fleet's top setter. Mykins tallied 721 assists and finished second on the team with 34 service aces.
• Astyn Casey returns for her sophomore season for the Flying Fleet, and led the team with 268 digs. Mykins finished second on the team with 256 digs and Megan Thees finished third on the team with 220 digs.
• This will be the Flying Fleet's first ever matchup with Rollins and Valdosta State. Erskine is 1-1 against Winston-Salem State, with the Rams winning the matchup from last season between the two teams.

 
Winston-Salem State Notes:

• Winston-Salem State went 14-19 overall last season and 10-8 in the CIAA.
• The Rams lost in the opening round of the tournament to Elizabeth City State.
• Winston-Salem State returns their top-three offensive weapons this season, Ytae Cobb (221 kills), Tailar Jackson (158 kills) and Miranda Taylor (152 kills).
• Rylee Wilson will look to build upon her freshman season when she led the team with 752 assists. Another standout freshman Myra Wallace returns after leading the team with 333 digs.
• Niyonna Mcintyre and Cobb finished as the top two defensive standouts for the Rams a season ago. Mcintyre finished with 77 total blocks, while Cobb tallied 58 blocks last season.  

 
Rollins Notes:

• Rollins is coming off a 15-16 overall season and a 7-13 Sunshine State Conference record.
• The Tars did not reach the Sunshine State Conference Tournament last season.
• Lana Gerard and Jadyn Troutman led the team offensively last season. Gerard finished with 391 kills, while Troutman finished second on the team with 381 kills.
• Natalie Horsley returns for her senior season, after leading the team with 1,162 assists. Adriana Lopez led the team with 437 digs a season ago.
• Emma Begley led the team with 85 blocks last season, while Troutman finished second on the team with 78 blocks.

  
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