HICKORY, N.C.- The Valdosta State volleyball team closed out its run in the Lenoir-Rhyne Tournament with victory over Converse, 3-0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-19) Saturday afternoon to finish the tournament 2-1.

Match Information 

Score: Valdosta State 3, Converse 0 (25-20, 25-12, 25-19) 

Records: VSU (2-1), Conv. (0-3)

Location: Hickory, N.C. (Lenoir-Rhyne University) 
 

First Set: 

The Blazer Volleyball team came out firing in their first set of the afternoon as junior Mackenzie Murray headlined a 7-4 VSU run with a dominant kill to go up three. The Valkyries proceeded to go on a 7-1 run, amassing a four-point lead on five Blazer miscues and two kills, 11-8. Converse continued to run up its lead as the Blazers steadily chipped away. With the score reaching 15-11 in service of the Valkyries, the Blazers scored four straight points to tie the game up at 15-15 on a kill from junior Audrey Bennett and three Converse attack errors. A kill from Bennett began what would be a 7-3 run in favor of Valdosta State with the Blazers in front 22-18. Converse score two more points before VSU closed out the match three straight points on kills from junior Mallory Roney and Bennett to take match one 25-20.

Second Set: 

The Blazers picked up where they left off in the first set as VSU delivered an offensive barrage to begin set two. Valdosta State went on a dominant 15-2 run kickstarted with a pair of Valkyrie attack errors and a kill from junior Christina Pettigrew. Converse proceeded to fight back with a 5-0 run, but the Blazers answered with a 3-0 run of their own, capped off with a kill from sophomore Katie Callenberger, 18-7. The Blazers and Valkyries traded three points back and forth before VSU broke out a 4-2 run to close out the set, 25-12. In set two alone, the Blazers had a total of 13 kills and only two errors, hitting an astonishing .379 for the frame.

Third Set: 

With the match on the line, Converse struck fast taking an 8-5 lead to kick off the third set as the Valkyries' Ariel Bryant scored two kills to begin the offensive run. In the blink of an eye, the Blazers responded with a flurry of points, scoring eight straight to take a 13-8 lead. Following a Converse timeout, the Blazers got as much as an eight-point lead at 18-11 before the Valkyries raced right back on a 6-1 run to threaten the VSU lead, 19-17. However, Valdosta State battened down the hatches, going on a 6-2 run to close out the set and the match, 25-19. 

Inside the Numbers: 

The Blazers finished the match with 34 kills and 14 errors as the team hit .227 for the match. Converse recorded 25 kills with 26 miscues, hitting -.010 for the match. Pettigrew led the Blazers in kills with eight while Bennett recorded 12 assists. Converse had six kills from Tori Barr and Bryant while Madison Gregory had a game-high 13 assists.

Up Next:

The Blazers are currently set to return home to host Middle Georgia State in the 2023 home-opener on Tuesday, September 5 at 6 p.m., in The Complex.  Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com on the volleyball schedule page.