Lions win crucial Senior Day match to secure SAC Tournament berth
Mars Hill clinches ninth straight SAC Tournament appearance as seniors Laela Jimenez, Keira Links, and Mackenzie Schmucker are recognized for their decorated careers.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill volleyball team (11-13, 7-11 SAC) defeated Tusculum (9-15, 7-11 SAC) in four sets in their season finale to clinch their ninth straight South Atlantic Conference tournament berth Friday evening inside Chambers Gymnasium.
A true back-and-forth slugfest in the first set saw Mars Hill emerge with the 1-0 advantage, outhitting Tusculum .279-.244 with 15 kills in the set.
Mars Hill followed up their offensive prowess in the second, knocking down a team-high 18 kills while hitting .240.
Tusculum responded in the third, led by Breana Pelbath's attacks up the middle. The Pioneers notched 12 kills en route to taking the third frame, forcing a fourth set.
The Lions rallied in the fourth and controlled the entire set. Defensively, they held Tusculum to a negative hitting percentage of -.075 while on the offensive side of the ball, recorded 12 kills with just two errors, closing out the match with a .270 hitting percentage.
Ioana Poenaru set a career-high with 21 kills, hitting .286 on the night. Megan Lee Prezio added eight kills while Brooke Hoffman knocked down seven kills, including the match-winning attack. Hoffman also led all players with seven blocks.
Selma Vassdal led the team by hitting .400 on the night with six kills and no errors. Keira Links was second on the team with a .357 hitting percentage, also recording six kills.
Laela Jimenez led all players with 26 assists while the duo of Alyssa Kornegay (28) and Mackenzie Schmucker (19) combined for 47 assists. Kornegay's 10 digs gave her the double-double.
Prior to the start of the contest, seniors Laela Jimenez, Keira Links, and Mackenize Schmucker were recognized and celebrated for their contributions to the program.
Mars Hill enters its ninth straight SAC Tournament on Tuesday, November 18 as the No. 7 seed, facing the No. 2 seed Anderson Trojans. First serve is set for 6 p.m. on the road in Anderson, South Carolina.
