BECKLEY, W. Va. - - UVa-Wise volleyball dropped two on Thursday afternoon during day one of the Concord Classic Tournament. The Cavaliers (0-8) were defeated by WVU Tech in straight sets, 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-17), before falling to Gannon University, 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-12).
Sophomore Brooke Abbott and freshman Matelyn Gibson led the Cavs in kills with eight apiece with Gibson registering a .353 hitting percentage in the match. Sophomore setter Makayla Ledford posted 23 assists and eight digs while junior Morgan Milligan added 12 digs in game one.
The two teams exchanged leads early in the first set before WVU Tech (9-3) jumped out to a 16-10 lead. A 7-3 run by the Golden Bears would propel them to an 11-point lead before WVU Tech took the first set, 25-14.
The Golden Bears started set two on a 4-0 run, but a rally by the Cavs would put UVa-Wise ahead 7-6. WVU Tech would reclaim the lead while UVa-Wise battled to stay close as they trailed 19-15 before a Cavalier timeout. UVa-Wise would come out of the timeout and go on a 4-0 run of their own to cut the deficit to one point, 20-19. The Golden Bears would respond winning five consecutive points to close out the set with a 25-19 win.
UVa-Wise managed to get things going early offensively in the third set, claiming an 11-9 lead on a kill by Abbott. The two teams would trade points for most of the set before a late run by WVU Tech put the Golden Bears ahead 20-17. WVU Tech would finish the set on a 5-0 run to clinch the 25-17 set victory.
UVa-Wise closed out the first game with 23 kills and 23 assists while WVU Tech recorded 42 kills and 41 assists.
Abbott led in kills again in game two for the Cavs with seven and hit .353 in the match. Ledford added 15 assists while Milligan tallied 13 digs for UVa-Wise.
The Cavs fell behind early to start their second match of the tournament as Gannon (8-0) took a 15-9 lead in the first set. UVa-Wise would climb back to get within two points of the Golden Knights before a timeout by Gannon. A kill by freshman Kelsey Green would put UVa-Wise down by one point late in the set, 21-20, but the Golden Knights would take the last four points to win set one, 25-20.
UVa-Wise struggled to gain momentum after trailing early in each of the final two sets as Gannon would take set two, 25-14, and set three, 25-12, for the sweep.
The Cavs posted 18 kills and 18 assists with 34 digs. Gannon finished the game with 44 kills, 43 assists, and hit .374 in the match.
Volleyball will look to rebound on day two of the Concord Classic Tournament with game one for the Cavs tomorrow at 8 a.m. against Bluefield State.
