Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan forces the match against Converse to five before falling in a 3-2 final on Tuesday evening.

The Warriors recorded 50 kills in the loss to the Valkyries with Olivia Johnson led the team with 23.  Jesse Soles followed with nine kills.  Ashley Sexton recorded 25 assists with Kali Letcher following with 14.  Ashlyn Holford had four aces during the game.  Southern Wesleyan had seven blocks with Holford leading the team with four.  The Warriors had 103 digs with both Soles and Kaylyn Woods leading the team with 27.  They were followed by Johnson with 23.


 
Game Vitals

Set One: Converse 25, Southern Wesleyan 21

Set Two: Converse 25, Southern Wesleyan 22

Set Three: Southern Wesleyan 26, Converse 24

Set Four: Southern Wesleyan 27, Converse 25

Set Five: Converse 15, Southern Wesleyan 9

Records: Southern Wesleyan (0-9 / CC 0-9) Converse (5-4 / CC 5-4)


 
How It Happened
Set One
The Valkyries charged out of the gate taking an early 6-0 lead.  Danairi Malave laid down a kill off a pass from Ashley Sexton to put the Warriors down 7-2.  Southern Wesleyan continue to cut into Converse's lead with kills by Johnson.  Blocks by Ashlyn Holford allowed the Warriors to tie the first set up 11-11.  However, the Valkryies continued to push ahead with a kill by Kiara Cannon and ace by Savanah Ducote.  The Warriors continued to fight back, but the Valkryies went on to win the first set 25-21.
 
Set Two
Converse took the first two points, but then kills by Kaylyn Woods and Olivia Johnson allowed the Warriors to tie it up.  The Valkyries pushed ahead, taking the lead on a block by Ducote.  A kill by Ashlyn Holford put the Warriors within five.  Back-to-back aces by Holford allowed the Warriors to come within three, but kills by Elizabeth Coffey and Ansley Hodge allowed Converse to regain a five point lead.  The Valkyries went on to win the second set 25-22.
 
Set Three
Southern Wesleyan took a 3-0 point lead on kills by Jesse Soles and Danairi Malave, and an ace by Ashlynn Holford.  Converse countered with a kill by Coffey, but a kill by Soles put the Warriors ahead 4-2.  Holford and Riley Young blocked the ball from the court to put Southern Wesleyan ahead 8-4.  The Valkyries countered, but a kill by Holford kept Southern Wesleyan on top by four.  Olivia Johnson put down a kills to keep the Warriors ahead by three.  Converse countered to take the lead, but a kill by Johnson allowed the Warriors to tie the set up 23-23.  A kill by Holford allowed the Warriors to take the third set 26-24.
 
Set Four
Converse took the early lead in the fourth set as they scored the first five points, however Southern Wesleyan countered with kills by Jesse Soles and Olivia Johnson to put the Warriors within one.  The Warriors continued to chip away at the Valkyries lead with kills by Johnson to put them within two.  Converse pushed ahead, but Southern Wesleyan was not deterred as Soles killed the ball to put the Warriors within five.  Kills by Johnson and Soles allowed the Warriors to tie the fourth set 23-23.  Southern Wesleyan continued to push ahead, taking the fourth set on kills by Soles and Danairi Malave in a 27-25 final.
 
Set Five
The Valkryies took the first point on a kill by Kiara Cannon, but the Warriors countered with a kill by Olivia Johnson.  Converse pushed ahead on a kill by Brittany Tepedino, but a kill by Johnson put the Warriors within two.  An ace by Ashlyn Holford put the Warriors within one.  Converse went on to win the final set 15-9.


 
What's Next

Southern Wesleyan will next compete in the Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament on April 10 as they travel to Bristol, TN to take on the King Tornado and Erskine Flying Fleet.