SPARTANBURG, South Carolina - The University of Mount Olive women's volleyball team fell in five sets to the Valkyries of Converse College on Friday night in Spartanburg, SC. UMO fell to 8-15 overall and 4-11 against Conference Carolinas foes, while Converse improved to 10-21, 6-9 on the season. Mount Olive needed to win the match to advance to the conference tournament and with the loss end their season tomorrow at Limestone.
GAME INFORMATION
The Trojans came into the first set ready to play downing the host Valkyries 25-14 in the opening frame. The next two sets were neck and neck with Converse squeaking by with two two-point wins as they took set two 28-26 and set three 25-23. UMO came back to take the fourth set in a strong 25-18 set win forcing the fifth set. The Trojans led nearly the entire fifth set but the Valkyries came back from trailing 11-9 to win 15-13 following a 6-2 run.
Trojan Leaders
The Trojans were led by Amara Eziakonwa with 22 kills and Ania Keene 20 kills and 15 digs. Starr Sergent added 15 kills and 10 digs while Faith Herman tallied 15 digs as well. Madison Goodman (27) and Nicholle Yeo (26) collected 53 assists of the teams 65 sharing the setting role. Eziakonwa led UMO with four solo blocks on the evening.
Valkyrie Leaders
The Valkyries were led by Brittany Tepedino, Alexis Pitts, and Jasmine Finkley with 15, 13, and 10 kills respectively. Kelsey Elliott led the backline with 15 digs while Tepedino added 12. Lauren Tharrington and Lottie Hutson shared the setting role and collected 49 of the 54 Converse assists.
Key Moment
The biggest momentum swing came in the fifth set when the Valkyries came back from trailing 11-9 to winning 15-13 following a 6-2 run to close the match.
Up Next
UMO will travel a half-hour up the I-85 corridor to Gaffney, SC, to face the Limestone College Saints in the regular-season finale. First serve is set for 2 PM.