Spartanburg, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the Converse Valkyries on Wednesday evening in a 3-0 final score.
The Warriors totaled 29 kills in the loss to the Valkyries. Michaela Andresss led the team with 11 kills while Kaylon Chapman followed with eight. Of the 27 assists in the match, Katie Fulton picked up 12 and Amiyah Spann had 11. Faith Paxton served up two of the three aces. The other ace came off the hands of Andress.
Defensively, the Warriors recorded 45 digs. Libero Calie Covey led the team with 11. She was closely followed by Michaela Andress who had 10 digs in the match. The Warriors were able to block six attacks by the Valkyries. Both Megan Gilliland and Sarah Mitchell had two blocks each.
Match Vitals
Set One Final: Converse 25, Southern Wesleyan 12
Set Two Final: Converse 25, Southern Wesleyan 19
Set Three Final: Converse 25, Southern Wesleyan 20
Records: Southern Wesleyan (6-6 / CC 4-4) Converse (10-5 / CC 6-2)
How It Happened
Set One
The Valkyries took the first point of the set as Bree Lyons got in an early kill. The Warriors answered with a kill by Michaela Andress. Converse pushed ahead as Alayah Robertson got a kill off a pass by Alysha Arroyo. Andress got down a couple more kills to keep the Warriors within three points of the Valkyries. Megan Gilliland snuck the ball around the Valkyries defense to pick up her first kill of the set. Converse would not relent as Noemia Chiacchio served up an ace to give them a seven point lead. A kill by Ainsley Stovall allowed the Warriors to stay within seven. However, back-to-back kills by Ariel Bryant extended the Valkyries' lead to ten. Despite a late kill by Michaela Andress, the Valkyries claimed the first set in a 25-12 point lead.
Set Two
Southern Wesleyan charged out of the gate in the second set as Michaela Andress and Kaylon Chapman each got in kills. Katie Fulton dumped the ball over the net to extend the Warriors lead to 4-1. Megan Carpenter got in a kill of her own, but the Warriors continued their attacks as Chapman got in another kill. Converse answered by going on a five point run to come to within two points of the Warriors. Chapman and Andress were able to put down a couple more kills. Kills by Bree Lyons and Carpenter allowed the Valkyries to take the lead, but the Warriors were able to tie the set back up on the next point as Briley Wolff laid down a kill. Southern Wesleyan came to within two points of the Valkyries on kills by Andress and Megan Gilliland. However, the Valkyries were able to claim the second set in a 25-19 final score.
Set Three
Converse kicked off the third and final set with a kill out of the hands of Bree Lyons. Southern Wesleyan answered as Kaylon Chapman got in a kill off a set by Katie Fulton. The Valkyries would not relent as they got in several more kills to extend their lead to 7-1. Faith Paxton set the ball up to Michaela Andress who got it past the Valkyries. Ainsley Stovall got in a kill to keep the Warriors within seven. The Valkyries went on the attack again, but Stovall was able to block their attack. Chapman and Andress were able to get in a couple more kills, but Converse countered each of their attacks with attacks of their own to extend on their lead. Faith Paxton served up a couple of aces to put the Warriors within three points of the Valkyires. Converse got in another kill this time out of the hands of Alayah Robertson, but Southern Wesleyan answered with a couple kills by Andress. Despite last second kills by Chapman and Sarah Mitchell, the Warriors fell to the Valkyries in a 25-20 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will remain on the road on October 10 as they take on the Erskine Flying Fleet at 6pm. They will return to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on October 11 as they host the University of Mount Olive Trojans. The Warriors will welcome the Emmanuel Lions to Central, SC on October 14 at 7pm.
