BRISTOL, Tenn. – Three Bobcats posted double-digit kills in the opening match of the day, including
Olivia Ney who also tallied eight block assists, the most by a Bobcat in a single game since 2014, but it was not enough as the Lees-McRae women's volleyball team dropped a pair of non-conference matches against Young Harris and Mars Hill in the King (Tenn.) Tournament this afternoon.
GAME 1 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Young Harris def. Lees-McRae, 3-2 (25-21, 23-25, 18-25, 25-20, 15-11)
LOCATION: Student Center Complex – Bristol, Tennessee
RECORDS: Young Harris (1-6), Lees-McRae (2-4)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Hailey Gilreath posted a team-high 15 kills to pace the Bobcats in the opening game.
- Natasha Colon Moreno tallied her second-consecutive double-double with 14 kills and 12 digs, while Olivia Ney chipped in 10 kills, a career-high eight block assists, and four digs.
- Carlee Allbaugh continued her double-double streak with 38 set assists and 16 digs, while Lauren Xayavong finished with a game-high 23 digs.
- Young Harris and Lees-McRae traded runs throughout the majority of the first set, until the Mountain Lions closed the set with a final kill to clinch the first frame, 25-21.
- The Bobcats stormed out of the gates in the second set by winning nine of the first 12 of the first 17 points and survived a late Young Harris rally to clinch the second frame, 25-23.
- Lees-McRae used a 12-2 run in the third set to grab momentum and utilized a pair kills by Hill and Gilreath to claim a 25-18 win in set three.
- Young Harris posted a 25-20 win in set four and a 15-11 victory in the deciding set to clinch the non-conference match.
- Lees-McRae held a 13-2 advantage in blocks, but the Mountain Lions maintained a 57-44 edge in kills.
FOR THE FOES:
- Lily Hildalgo tallied a game-high 16 kills to pace Young Harris.
- Ginger Truncale and Joha Bernis chipped in 26 set assists and 20 digs respectively.
NOTEWORTHY:
- Olivia Ney's eight block assists are the most by a Bobcat in a single match since Siarra Walker hit the mark on Nov. 7, 2014 in a match against Erskine.
GAME 2 BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Mars Hill def. Lees-McRae, 3-0 (25-9, 25-18, 25-16)
LOCATION: Student Center Complex – Bristol, Tennessee
RECORDS: Mars Hill (6-1), Lees-McRae (2-5)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Kaden Hill tallied a team-high six kills for the Bobcats to close out the two-match day.
- Allbaugh finished with 16 set assists, while Lauren Xayavong added 18 digs.
- Mars Hill sprinted out of the gates by scoring five of the first six points to grab momentum early and closed on a 19-3 run to clinch a 25-9 win in set one.
- Lees-McRae found themselves down early in the second frame as well, but utilized kills from Hill, Gilreath, Kayli Foster, and Ney to trim the deficit to 24-18.
- Mars Hill would finish the set with a final kill to win the second set, 25-18.
- The Lions closed out the non-conference victory with a 25-16 win in set three.
- Mars Hill held a 42-21 edge in kills, with both teams tallying six total blocks.
FOR THE FOES:
- Sarah Goddard posted a game-high 13 kills to pace the Lions.
- Jordan Schmucker and Ully Martins tallied a game-high 21 set assists and 21 digs respectively.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats return to the newly renovated Williams Gymnasium for the first time this season as they host Converse in the Conference Carolinas opener on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
