CVAC Dominates Day One of Converse Volleyball Invitational
Spartanburg, SC — Day one of the Converse Volleyball Invitational saw a lot of dominating performances. Seven of the eight matches needed only three games to determine a winner. The only match needing more than three games featured the host, Converse College, defeating North Carolina 3-1.
The day began with Carolina-Virginia Athletics Conference (CVAC) member Pfeiffer defeating the Koalas of Columbia. Pfeiffer won the first game 30-25 before holding the Koalas to 20 in the second game. Pfeiffer won the final game by a score of 30-27 to start the season at 1-0.
The second match featured Columbia taking on Presbyterian College. The Koalas played it close in the first game when they cut the deficit to one point at 22-21. Presbyterian then took off on a 8-2 run to close out the game. With the Koalas playing their second match of day, Presbyterian made short work of games 2 and 3 by defeating Columbia by 30-16 and 30-17. Columbia College fell to 0-2 to start the season.
Match 3 had Pfeiffer playing Elizabeth City State of the Carolina Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Pfeiffer continued their perfect first day of competition by defeating Elizabeth City 3-0. The win meant the Falcons start the season 2-0 without having drop a game yet.
The fourth match had Converse College squaring off against North Carolina Central, who also competes in the CIAA. The All-Stars won game 1 by a score of 30-23. The second game saw North Carolina Central take the lead at 26-25. However that lead would be short lived as Converse scored the final five points to take game 2 by the score of 30-26. North Carolina Central was able to force a fourth game by taking an exciting game 3. Trailing by 10 at 26-16, Converse fought back rattling off seven unanswered points to get within three. North Carolina Central ultimately won game three 30-26. In the end, Converse would prove to be too much for the Eagles taking game four with a 30-24. Converse starts the season at 1-0.
Elizabeth City State faced their second opponent of the day when they took on CVAC School Belmont Abbey College. It what was the tightest game of the day, Belmont Abbey prevailed over Elizabeth City State 31-29. Game 2 was not quite as close. After Elizabeth City State tied the game at five, the Crusaders went on an impressive 16-2 run blowing the game open and taking a 21-7 lead. Game two ended 30-23. Game three ended by the same score sending Elizabeth City State to an 0-2 start of the season.
Pfeiffer took on its second CIAA opponent of the day in the form of Fayetteville State. Pfeiffer would again prove to be too much for their opponent to handle. The Falcons defeated Fayetteville State in three games 30-21, 30-25, and 30-20. Pfeiffer left the gym a perfect 3-0 to begin the season and did not lose a game in the process.
North Carolina Central would end two streaks in the seventh game of the day. They would pick up the CIAA first win of the day as well as hand the CVAC its first loss of the day. The Eagles defeated Belmont Abbey 30-22, 30-26, and 30-25. The Eagles would use a 9-2 at the end of the second game to take the lead into the third game. The Crusaders would mount a valiant effort in game three scoring six straight points to get within two at 27-25, but North Carolina Central prove to be more than the Crusaders could handle winning game three and improving to 1-1 on the young season. Belmont Abbey finished day one of competition with the same record.
The night cap had USC-Upstate taking on Fayetteville State. Although Fayetteville State kept the first game close losing by only four points, the lone Peach Belt Conference representative would win their only match of the day handily. USC-Upstate won the match 3-0 winning 30-26, 30-17, and 30-13.
The CVAC had an impressive showing sporting a 5-1 record on the day. All three CVAC schools hope to be back in this same gym at the season’s end. Converse College will also serve as the host school for this