ANDERSON, S.C. – For the second straight outing, the Anderson University volleyball team went a full five sets, but this time the Trojans came up just shy, as Mars Hill outlasted AU, 3-2 (25-23, 25-18, 19-25, 19-25, 15-13) in South Atlantic Conference action Tuesday night at the Abney Athletic Center.
Anderson slipped to 9-7 overall and 6-2 in conference play with its second loss in three outings, while Mars Hill (2-10, 1-8 SAC) claimed its first league win of the season and snapped an eight-match skid.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Junior Marissa Mitter recorded a double-double with a match-high 19 kills and 16 digs, while senior Rachel Burts added 12 kills and eight total blocks on the night. The Anderson, S.C., native posted a stellar .407 attack percentage. Junior Serena Jackson notched eight kills and six digs. Freshman Emily Conlin recorded her second straight double-double with a match-best 53 assists and 17 digs. Sophomore Emily Conard garnered a team-high 25 digs, with sophomore Jayln Knight tallying 16 digs and sophomore Megan Embry chipping in 11 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
The Trojans fell behind early and were never able to recover, as Mars Hill scored four early points to turn an AU lead into a 5-2 advantage for the Lions. Back-to-back kills from Mitter and freshman Kathryn Hughes and halted a 7-1 outburst by Mars Hill, but the Lions went on to double up AU, 10-5.
The Trojans crept back within 13-11 on a kill by Burts, but Mars Hill countered by pushing back out to an 18-12 lead, equaling its largest of the frame. Still trailing, 21-16, the Trojans posted a 6-1 surge to knot the score for just the third time behind a pair of scores from both Burts and Mitter. But AU was unable to gain the lead and the Lions posted three of the final four points to take the two-point win.
Second Set
The Trojans hit just .020 in the set and were unable to overcome nine attack errors. Mars Hill carried over the momentum and scored the first five points of the set, with the Trojans countering with five unanswered points of their own to even the score for the only time of the set. The Lions responded with four consecutive points to take a lead they would not surrender and went on to claim the seven-point victory.
Third Set
The third frame featured six early ties, with the Trojans taking their first lead since early in the first set, at 9-8, when Jackson and freshman Rachel Mackey combined on a block. But the lead was short-lived, as Mars Hill posted two straight points before AU knotted the score for the final time at 10 apiece. A block by Jackson ignited an 8-1 run by the Trojans, with senior Allison Gaminde posting a kill and a block assist during the decisive run.
Fourth Set
Mitter notched eight of her kills in the set, as the Trojans posted a .311 hitting percentage and forced a fifth and deciding set with the win. With the score deadlocked for the seventh time at 18 apiece, freshman Rachel Mackey knocked down a kill, as the Trojans scored the final seven points of the frame.
Fifth Set
Neither team was able to build more than a two-point advantage, with Gaminde's second kill of the set giving the Trojans an 11-9 edge. But the Lions claimed their first lead of the frame in the midst of a 4-0 run that gave the visitors a 13-11 cushion. A kills from Jackson and a Mars Hill error evened the score at 13-13, but back-to-back kills by the Lions gave them the win.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE GAME
With seven service aces versus the Lions, AU now has exactly 100 on the season.
NOTABLES
• Mitter has nine double-doubles on the season.
• Mitter has reached double-figure kills in 12 matches this season.
• Conlin has six double-doubles on the season.
• Conlin Has recorded at least 30 digs on 13 occasions.
• Conard has double-figure digs in 15 matches this year.
• Burts leads the league with 19 solo blocks and 64 total blocks.
UP NEXT
Anderson will get back on the court Friday, when the Trojans visit Catawba. First-serve in Salisbury, N.C., is scheduled for 7 p.m.
