GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The AUM women's volleyball team suffered two defeats on the final day of the Pioneer Invitational, hosted by Tusculum University on Friday, falling in four sets to King University and Converse University.
 
After Friday's matches, the Warhawks drop to 0-3 on the young 2025 season.
 
MATCH 1: King 3, AUM 1
After each team traded the first two sets, the Tornado clinched the match with victories in sets three and four.
 
For the second straight match, AUM totaled 43 kills on the day with two in double figures, while King racked up 31 spikes and their leader, Isabel Krick, had seven.
 
The Warhawks were led by Kendall McCain, boasting a match-high 14 kills, while Anyaliz Rodriguez recorded a double-double with a match-high 19 digs with 10 kills.
 
Addison Vinson also had a double-double with 16 assists and 11 digs.
 
Set 1
Despite the Warhawks making it a 7-5 deficit on a Cameron Martin attack error, the Tornado went on an 11-4 run that saw a service ace from Faith Morse and a block from Capri Johnson.
 
Unfortunately, AUM was unable to get anything going on the attack, and that allowed King to win the opener, 25-17.
 
Set 2
The Warhawks erased from their memory what they did in set number one and put together 14 kills in the second set. After King tied it at three, back-to-back attacks by Kendall McCain sparked a 12-3 run for AUM.
 
The Tornado made a late effort, but a service error and kill by Anyaliz Rodriguez gave the Warhawks the second set victory, 25-18, and evened the match at one set apiece.
 
Set 3
Tied at six, the Warhawks strung together a 9-5 run to lead 15-11 before the Tornado burned a timeout. However, that timeout proved to work in their favor. Later down 21-17, and despite 13 kills and five aces by AUM, King won eight of the final nine points to flip the script and win the frame, 25-22.
 
Set 4
King sprinted out to a 5-1 lead early, but AUM won the next four points to even it back at five after a McCain spike and an ace by Carly Cooper.
 
Later tied at seven, King used a 6-2 run to take the lead 13-9, and that would hold up the rest of the set to win in four.
 
King totaled four aces in the set, including two late from Chloe Clayton and Cameron Martin, to seal the set, 25-18, and match.
 
MATCH 2: Converse 3, AUM 1
Salome Dejesus De La Torres led the Warhawks with nine kills, while Addison Vinson posted 12 assists and six digs.
 
Converse, who is predicted to finish third in the Conference Carolinas preseason poll, was led by Samiya Bolton's 10 kills and Noemia Chiacchio's 10 digs.
 
Set 1
AUM rallied from a slow start to even the opening frame at eight after a Carly Cooper ace. However, Converse restored order temporarily to lead 18-15. Despite a second effort to rally by the Warhawks, the Valkyries finished the set on a 7-3 run to win 25-21.
 
Set 2
The Warhawks posted a 6-2 lead to start set two, but the Valkyries chipped away and took the lead, 19-18.
 
Later, a Megan Carpenter kill by Converse gave them the lead for good, 20-19, as they went on to take set two, 25-22.
 
Set 3
Converse took off in set number three with a 13-6 lead. The Valkyries held the Warhawks to six kills in the final set, as they completed the sweep with a 25-11 win.
 
Up Next
The Warhawks will continue their season-opening seven-match road trip, traveling to the Reddie-Tiger Invitational in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. They will first take on Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State on Friday, Sept. 12.
 
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