SPARTANBURG, S.C. | The YHC volleyball team fell 3-2 to Converse University on Saturday (Oct. 12) afternoon on the road. The Mountain Lions lost set one (25-22), before battling to even the match up at one set win apiece (25-21). The 3rd and 4th set had the same result, where YHC lost set three (25-13), before battling back to force set five with a 26-24 victory in set four. The Valkyries and Mountain Lions seesawed in the 5th set, but Converse eventually pulled away, taking down YHC 15-11.
QUOTING HEAD COACH JENNY MICHAEL:
"I love this team. I don't like our inconsistency, but I love being on this journey with them. While the road hasn't been favorable thus far in terms of match outcomes, we continue to grow together on and off the court; and for that I'm extremely grateful."
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Young Harris and Converse were neck-and-neck through the first 16 points of set one, with the set all knotted up at eight even. Converse would go on a four-point run and the Mountain Lions had to play catch up volleyball from there on out, before falling to Converse in set one.
The second set featured a 10-5 lead for YHC, with Shelby Mullins recording a kill to put Young Harris up by five. The Valkyries would tie the set up at 14, before taking the lead 15-14; the teams would battle, and the 40th point of the set was earned by Abby Schirm to tie the set up at 20 apiece. Young Harris ran away with set two, with points scored by Lyza Thigpen, Schirm, Lily Hidalgo, and a service ace by Chase Vaigneur to take set two (25-21).
Set three started out to plan again for YHC, with the set tied up at eight all early on. From there, Converse would go up 12-9, before eventually going on a 12-1 run that placed the Valkyries ahead 24-10. The Mountain Lions did not lay down, as they scored three in a row to stay alive in the set, before a Young Harris service error ended the set (25-13).
With the match stacked against them 2-1, the Mountain Lions entered set four with vengeance on their minds. The set seesawed back and forth, with the Mountain Lions taking a one-point lead, and the Valkyries immediately tying the set again. With the set tied at 24 all, Hidalgo earned a kill from Thigpen, and Nicole Klucharich followed her up with a kill of her own to take down Converse 26-24 in the 4th set.
The Mountain Lions had pushed the match all the way to set five, with the odds stacked against them from the get-go. Resiliency was the name of the match today for Young Harris, as they continued to battle with maximum effort with chips on their shoulders. Ariel Bryant and the Valkyries jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead in the final set, but once again, the resilient Mountain Lions continued to fight. Hidalgo and Sophie Bearden clawed YHC back into the match, tying things up at 7-7. The 5th set would be equaled up again at nine apiece, before the Valkyries started to pull away, taking a 13-10 lead on a service ace by Alysha Arroyo. Mullins and Thigpen recorded kills to keep YHC alive, down 14-12. With match point for Converse in effect, Alayah Robertson recorded the final kill of the match to take set five (15-12), and the match 3-2.
NOTABLE STATS:
UP NEXT:
The Young Harris College volleyball team continues their road trip on Friday (Oct. 18) evening in Florence, South Carolina, where they battle Francis Marion University.
