SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Lees-McRae women's volleyball continued their winning ways in Conference Carolinas play with a four-set victory at Converse on Tuesday night.
Destiny Holley,
Patrycja Rykala, and
Sydney Stigler combined for 44 out of 57 kills for the Bobcats in the contest.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae def. Converse, 3-1 (17-25, 25-23, 28-26, 25-18)
LOCATION: Tom & Tracy Hannah Gymnasium – Spartanburg, South Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (6-4/3-0), Converse (3-9/2-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lees-McRae matched their best start in Conference Carolinas with a three-match win streak since the spring of 2020 when the Bobcats opened league action 3-0.
- Stigler paced all attackers on the evening with 20 kills and added seven digs, three service aces, and two blocks. Rykala had an efficient night on the attack with 14 kills on a .407 hitting percentage and Holley joined Rykala and Stigler in double figures with 10 kills and five total blocks.
- Madison Goins contributed 57 assists and collected her fifth double-double of the season with 13 added digs. Lauren Xayavong led the Bobcats on the defensive front with 27 digs and Nina Vallesi compiled eight kills, 14 digs, two service aces, and one block for Lees-McRae.
- The Green and Gold shrugged off a tough first set after Converse earned the opening set, 25-17. The Bobcats used a .306 hitting percentage in the fourth set to collect the four-set win.
- In the second set, the Bobcats rushed out to a 15-11 lead, but Converse evened the set at 21. Stigler rallied Lees-McRae after collecting the final three kills for the Bobcats' set win at 25-23.
- The third set proved pivotal in the winning effort for Lees-McRae after rallying from a 17-9 deficit. The Bobcats tallied five consecutive points at 23-22 on the serve of Goins and the double block by Goins and Holley gave Lees-McRae the set advantage at 28-26.
- Lees-McRae rolled in the fourth after a match-high hitting percentage of .306 and held the Valkyries to .033 in the set. Rykala finished the match with a kill at 25-18.
- The Bobcats also top the Conference Carolinas Northwest Division standings after starting the season with victories over divisional foes Belmont Abbey, Converse, and King.
FOR THE VALKYRIES:
- Evelyn Fitz collected a double-double for Converse with 14 kills and 13 digs. Mackenzie Schmucker distributed 35 assists and collected 11 digs in the match.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats host Young Harris on Friday evening on the McNair & Debi Tornow Court for the first of two matches on Homecoming Weekend. The first serve on Friday is at 6 p.m.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
