Jimenez sets career-high in Lions' home opener
Ioana Poenaru set a career-high with seven aces.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill volleyball team (2-3) was defeated by Converse (4-1) in five sets (26-24, 25-22, 23-25, 25-27, 13-15) Tuesday night inside Chambers Gymnasium.
The Valkyries forced a fifth set, forcing extra volleyball in the fourth frame, knocking down 18 kills. Noemia Chiachhio led the team with seven kills in the set. The Lions recorded 13 kills, matching their team-high from the second set.
In the fifth, Mars Hill led 9-8, forcing Converse to call a timeout. Out of the pause, the Valkyries took four of the next five points, leading 12-10. A trio of attack errors saw Mars Hill retake the lead late, 13-12.
Converse ended the match on a 3-0 run with two kills from Ariel Bryant.
The Lions trailed by as many as eight points in the first set before clawing their way back late and stealing the first set, 26-24. Mars Hill hit .128 in the frame with 11 kills. Ioana Poenaru recorded a trio of aces back-to-back-to-back during their comeback bid.
In the second set, Mars Hill hit .118 in the frame, recording 13 kills. The third set saw the Lions lead 20-17 before Converse took eight of the last 11 points, closing out the set on a 5-0 run.
The Valkyries repeated the performance in the fourth set, trailing 22-17 before reeling off five straight points to tie the contest at 22. Mars Hill, with two match points, was unable to fend off Converse's Chiacchio as she recorded three kills in the final six points of the stanza. Converse won five of the last six points to force the fifth set.
Chiacchio led all players with 18 kills while adding 20 digs for the double-double. Bryant finished the contest with 14 kills and 30 digs, also collecting a double-double. Alysha Arroyo led the team with 43 assists while Mackenzie Day led the team with 46 digs. Tori Barr blocked six shots to lead the Valkyries.
Jada Cannon and Timmons Yates led the Lions with 10 kills apiece followed by nine from Katilyn Grant. Cannon dug 20 balls for the double-double. Poenaru set a career-high with seven aces while adding nine digs and seven kills. Nikkayla Stewart led all players with seven blocks (3 solo, 4 assists).
Laela Jimenez set a new career-high with 50 digs in the contest.
Mars Hill returns to action on Saturday, September 14 when they face Emory & Henry in their South Atlantic Conference opener. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
