Box Score Spartanburg, SC – The Emmanuel Women's Volleyball team traveled to Spartanburg, SC tonight to face Converse University in conference play. The match was competitive from the start, with both teams making key plays. The Lions took the first set, 25-21 but Converse rallied to win set two, 25-20. The Lions answered to take the final two sets, 25-20, 25-21 to earn the four-set win, 3-1. With the win, Emmanuel improves to 15-6 on the season, 11-2 in conference action. 

The Valkyries started strong in the first set, taking an early 10-5 lead. The Lions answered with kills from Ellie Jackson, Natalie Wilson, Jada Porter and Marusa Pesut to tie the set at 14-14 midway through. The teams traded points and the lead until late, when four consecutive kills by Wilson helped the Lions pull away, 23-20. A point from Porter closed the set strong with the Lions earning the set one win, 25-21.

Converse responded well in the second set, jumping out to a 5-2 lead. Kills from Porter and Cailin Pritchard helped the Lions keep things close, but the Valkyries pulled ahead 15-11 midway through the set. Late in the set, the Valkyries led 20-13 and kills by Ellie Jackson cut the lead to three, 20-17. Converse, however would close out the set to earn the set two win, 25-20. 

In set three, the teams traded points and the lead early with Porter and Jackson getting involved in the scoring. With the Lions up 15-10 midway through the set, Converse rallied to cut the lead to a point, 15-14. Attack errors by Converse and kills from the Lions helped Emmanuel push their lead to 21-17 late. Converse pulled within a point at 21-20, but Jackson, Porter and Wilson closed out the set giving the Lions a 25-20 set three win. 

The Lions carried the momentum into the fourth set, taking an early 5-1 lead. Converse cut the Lions lead to a point, 10-9 but kills from Wilson, Porter and Pritchard made it 16-12 Lions midway through. A 4-0 run by the Valkyries tied the set at 16 all, but the Lions used key plays from Jackson and Brianna Bigelow to pull ahead, 21-17. The Valkyries scored the next three points to make it 21-20, Lions but kills by Jackson and Porter closed out the set, giving the Lions the fourth set win, 25-21 and the game, 3-1. 
Overall, the Lions had 56 kills, 50 assists, 3 aces, 104 digs, and 12 blocks. 

Jada Porter led the Lions with 16 kills, while Ellie Jackson added a double-double of 15 kills, 17 digs. Marusa Pesut dished out 43 assists, while Jackson, Isabel Miller, and Lilli Redifer added an ace each. Cailin Pritchard continued to be a force in the middle with 3 blocks, while Isabel Miller picked up 32 digs.

Next up, the Lions will travel to Belmont, NC to face Belmont Abbey College tomorrow at 2PM. For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.