The App State volleyball team fell to Coastal Carolina in three sets (25-19, 25-13, 25-23) in Conway, S.C. on Friday. The Mountaineers return to the court for their second match against the Chanticleers at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the HTC Center. Live stats will be available and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.

Fifth year senior McCall Denny recorded a team-high eight kills as well as nine digs. Sophomore Kenady Roper led the team in the digs category (14) and aces category (2). Senior Sophie Cain posted double-digit assists, tallying 12. Junior Lauren Pledger and freshman Delanie Grevengoed totaled three blocks apiece.

As a whole, App State recorded 27 kills, five aces, six blocks, 26 assists, and 50 digs.

App State came out hot in the first set with a 4-0 run that included an ace from Roper. A block from sophomore Maya Winterhoff/Denny as well as kills from Denny, junior Lulu Ambrose, and freshman Ava Leahy extended App State’s lead to 8-4. Coastal Carolina found its footing in a 5-0 run that gave it a 9-8 edge. A Grevengoed kill tied things up at 10 all, but the Chanticleers were quick to pull away, establishing a 14-11 lead. Kills from Winterhoff, Ambrose, Pledger, and Denny brought the Mountaineers within one of Coastal Carolina’s lead (18-17). Despite a kill from Winterhoff, Coastal Carolina took the set, 25-19.

Ambrose kicked off the second set with a kill. The Mountaineers took a 5-3 lead after a kill from Grevengoed that was promptly followed by an ace from Cain. Coastal Carolina established a 10-5 lead after a 7-0 run. A kill and ace from Winterhoff as well as a kill from Denny closed the deficit to 11-8, but the Chanticleers went on a 6-0 run to take a 17-8 lead. Maintaining a steady lead, Coastal Carolina took the second set, 25-13.

The Mountaineers fought through the third set, tying things at five all with an ace from sophomore Alyssa McBean. Trailing 7-10, App State took an 11-10 lead with a 4-0 run that included a block from Grevengoed/Pledger. Coastal Carolina answered with a 4-0 run of its own to regain the lead at 14-11. Kills from Ambrose, Grevengoed, and Winterhoff, as well as an ace from Roper, tied the score at 15 all. The Mountaineers and Chanticleers went point-for-point until Coastal Carolina took a 19-17 lead. Back-to-back kills from Denny followed by a kill from Pledger gave App State a 20-19 edge. Coastal Carolina answered with a 4-0 run to take a 23-20 lead. Not finished yet, App State saw a kill from Pledger, solo block from Grevengoed, and Chanticleer error that tied the score at 23 all. Despite this, Coastal Carolina was first to reach set and match point, taking the third set, 25-23, for the sweep.