Converse rolls past St. Andrews
LAURINBURG, NC-Converse College had late surges in the first, third and fourth games to defeat host St. Andrews, 3-1(30-24, 26-30, 30-26, 30-24), in Saturday’s Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference volleyball action on Harris Court.
Converse (19-12 overall, 10-7 CVAC) scored the first two points of the match and never trailed in the first game. The All Stars made a 5-0 run to take a 20-12 lead and held its largest lead at 26-16. The Knights (3-22, 3-15) had their own 5-0 run to close the gap but a kill by Leslie Shain (Joliet, IL) ended the first set at 30-24.
The second game remained close until a Kim Harper (Boca Raton, FL) ace gave St. Andrews the lead for good at 20-19. Spikes by Jesi Bewley (Cincinnati, OH), Lauren McManus (Raleigh, NC) and Liz Windham (Wartrace, TN) helped the Knights build a 29-22 advantage. With their backs against the wall, Converse managed to reel off four points but a Audrey Jaccard (Knoxville, TN) serve sailed long to end the second set at 30-26 and tie the match at one apiece.
The All Stars had the early momentum in the third with a 15-11 lead. SAPC shifted the energy to their side and two consecutive kills by McManus propelled the Knights to a late 25-24 lead. However, a Shain lobbed kill put Converse back on top at 27-26. A Brittany Ogez (Tulsa, OK) ace and a St. Andrews error ended the third at 30-26.
Dani Ghramm (Hayden, ID) blasted a hitting attempt for a point giving St. Andrews a 15-13 edge midway thru the decisive fourth game but a time out by the All Stars transferred the momentum. A Sarah Joydan-Inalloo (Pickens, SC) kill gave Converse the upper hand at 22-21. The All Stars pulled away and a kill by Lauren Mueller (Foley, AL) set up match point. Monica Wallace (San Antonio, TX) ended the match, 30-24, with a kill.
Ogez led the All Stars with 60 assists while libero Elizabeth Roberds (Savannah, GA) posted 40 digs. Shain added a team-high 20 kills and made 35 digs. Joydan-Inalloo provided four blocks and Mueller and Wallace each ad 15 kills.
Bewley ripped a game-high 26 kills for the Knights with a .288 hitting percentage and 23 digs. Libero Erin Haugen (Ft. Mills, SC) scooped up 36 digs. Harper set up 38 assists and had 28 digs. McManus slammed 12 kills made 19 digs. Ghramm chipped in with eight kills.
St. Andrews travels to Hartsville, SC, for its regular season finale against CVAC rival Coker on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Converse suites back up next Saturday in Anderson, SC, when they take on CVAC foe’s Barton and Anderson.