THE BASICS:
Score: North Greenville 3, Valdosta State 1 (18-25, 21-25, 25-18, 18-25)
Records: Valdosta State 4-7, North Greenville 6-4
Location: Spartanburg, S.C. (Converse Tournament)
 
 
THE LEAD: The Valdosta State volleyball team battled back from a 2-0 deficit, but fell to North Greenville 3-1 Saturday morning in the third game of the Converse Tournament.  VSU will conclude the tournament facing Mars Hill at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• Following an early 5-2 lead by North Greenville in the first set, VSU junior Dariah Powell tallied four straight serves as the Crusaders had three miscues and a kill from the Blazers for a 6-5 VSU lead.  
• North Greenville quickly regained the lead as it wouldn't relinquish the rest of the set for a 25-18 win.
• The second set was much more back-and-forth as VSU built a 17-14 lead on a kill from freshman Jessie Mooney.  
• From there, junior Kayla Wood recorded a kill for a 20-18 lead for the Blazers, but North Greenville had the answer as it rattled off four-straight points for a 22-20 lead.  
• Wood tallied another kill to pull the Blazers within 22-21, but a kill, attack error and ace by the Crusaders ended the set.
• Down 2-0, the Blazers had their best set of the match in the third set, hitting .259 for the frame.
• Trailing 11-4, VSU found new life as it roared back, scoring seven of the next eight points to pull within 12-11 on an attack error by the Crusaders.  
• VSU took the lead for good in the set on an attack error for a 14-13 advantage as it outscored the Crusaders 21-7 since it trailed 11-4.
• In the fourth set, North Greenville again raced out to an early lead, this time 10-4 as VSU would get as close as a 12-8 deficit, but the Crusaders pulled away for the 25-18 win and match victory. 

 
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• The Blazers hit .191 for the match with 46 kills in 136 swings, along with 20 errors, 46 assists and 61 digs.  
• The team had seven total blocks with three solo rejections, while Mooney led the team with 10 kills.  
• Freshman Aurora Nero had 19 digs, while sophomore Tammy Reyes-Perez had 42 assists. 
• North Greenville hit .276 for the match with 46 kills in 134 swings, while recording 11 errors, 46 assists and 64 digs.  
• Courtney Williamson had a double-double with 21 digs and 12 kills, while Erin Allen also had 12 kills.

 
 
UP NEXT:

• VSU concludes the tournament at 12:30 p.m. versus Mars Hill, before returning home to open Gulf South Conference play Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at The Complex versus Shorter.