SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The King University women's volleyball team got off to a slow start on Tuesday night at converse College, but in the end, the Tornado came away with a 3-1 victory. The Tornado received three double-doubles, led by
Julie Ward who posted 22 kills and 27 digs.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 3, Converse 1 (23-25, 26-24, 26-24, 25-16)
LOCATION: Tom & Tracy Hannah Gymnasium; Spartanburg, S.C.
RECORDS: King 12-2, 8-1 Conference Carolinas; Converse 4-4, 4-4 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
- The teams went back-and-forth early until a 6-0 Converse run put the Tornado behind 15-10.
- King chipped away at the deficit, and pulled within 24-23, but the Valkyries scored the last point to take the set.
- The 25-23 defeat ended King streak of 17 straight set wins. Their last set loss came on March 12 at Belmont Abbey College in the second set.
Second Set
- Converse again took the lead in the early going, holding an 8-5 lead before Ward and Allie Zimmerman teamed up for a four straight kills to vault King into a 9-8 lead.
- I looked like Converse might grab some separation with a 3-0 run, but the Tornado came back with a 3-1 spurt, capped by a Brittney Ramsey block that evened the score at 18.
- A Kayley Holtzclaw kill and Hailee Blankenship ace gave King back-to-back points and a 23-22 advantage.
- Ramsey and Ward later teamed up for consecutive kills that gave King the 26-24 victory.
Third Set
- The Valkyries jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third set, but the Tornado fought back, eventually evening the score at 13.
- Ramsey and Georgia Davis posted kills on a 3-0 spurt that gave King a 16-14 lead.
- King again scored three straight points, capped by another Blankenship ace to take a 21-16 lead.
- However, Converse scored the next four points and six of the next seven to even the score at 22.
- The tally was again even at 23 and 24 before a Blankenship kill and block from Davis gave King the 26-24 victory.
Fourth Set
- King jumped out to a 5-2 lead behind kills from Ward, Davis and Ramsey in the fourth set.
- The Valkyries cut the King lead to 13-12, but Ramsey and Blankenship came up with kills on a 3-0 run that put the Tornado ahead 16-12.
- King extended that lead before scoring the final four points of the match, the last on a Katie Harless kill that gave King the set 25-16 and the match 3-1.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Ward led the Tornado with 22 kills and 27 digs.
- Ramsey followed with 11 kills as she hit .526. She added five blocks, including two solo stuffs.
- Holtzclaw added 10 kills while Zimmerman chipped in with nine kills.
- Blankenship posted 16 digs and added six kills.
- Davis handed out 27 assists and added 10 digs and three kills.
- Harless recorded 23 assists, 10 digs and two kills.
- Abigail Shaffer registered 24 digs.
FOR THE FOES
- Kiara Cannon led Converse with 14 kills, six digs and five blocks.
- Brittany Tepedino added 12 kills and 14 digs.
- Elizabeth Yohe added 25 digs while Sara Grace Westmoreland chipped in with 16 digs.
- Savanah Ducote handed out 32 assists and eight digs.
- Mackenzie Day chipped in with 10 digs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The 27 digs for Ward sets a career-high as she was within two kills of her career-high.
- The 27 digs is the fifth-most in a match in the NCAA Division II era, and second most in a four-set match.
- She posted her first career match with at least 20 kills and 20 digs.
- The double-double for Davis is the first of her career as she set career-highs with 27 assists and 10 digs.
- Harless posted her second career double-double with 23 assists and matched a career-high with 10 digs.
- Ramsey matched a career-high with 11 kills.
- Shaffer matched a career-high with 24 digs.
UP NEXT
- King stays on the road to face Conference Carolinas rival Lees-McRae College in a nonconference matchup on Thursday night. First serve from Banner Elk, N.C. is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
- Converse hosts the University of Mount Olive on Friday night.
