MARS HILL, N.C. - The Anderson University volleyball team overcame a slow start to defeat Mars Hill, 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 28-26, 25-15 ) in South Atlantic Conference action Saturday afternoon at Stanford Arena.

"This has been a great week for the team." said Anderson head coach Craig Mosqueda. "Today we came out a little flat and played a little sloppy. Mars Hill took advantage of that. [But] after a time out, the team came out refocused and determined. Again several players stepped up to help get the win."

Anderson improved to 17-5 overall and 10-4 in the conference with its fifth win in its last six outings, while sweeping the season series with the Lions. Mars Hill dropped to 7-14 overall and 6-8 in league play with its second loss in the last three matches.

Senior outside hitter Shannon Gillespie posted her second straight double-double and fourth of the season with a season-high 22 kills and 11 digs. The 5-foot-10 outside hitter also added four block assists on the afternoon. Senior middle blocker Hailey Pittman followed with nine kills for the Trojans, while adding seven block assists. The freshman duo of Kendall Vallancourt and Marissa Mitter each added eight kills, with Vallancourt recording eight digs. Redshirt sophomore Priscilla Irizarry earned her fourth consecutive double-double and 11th of the season with 49 assists and 11 digs, with senior libero Alix Hooker notching a match-high 32 digs.

Mars Hill sophomore Mary Kate Griffin led all players with 23 kills and added 13 digs, while freshman Lauren Hochstetler posted 16 kills and 13 digs. Freshman outside hitter Rebecca Butler chipped in 13 kills and a team-best 20 digs, with Andie Russell dishing out a match-high 54 assists. Christen Nicholson tallied 10 digs for the Lions.

Mars Hill overcame six attack errors in the opening set to hit .288 for the frame, as the Lions gained a two-point advantage four times in the early going.
Despite hitting .333 early in the frame, the Trojans were able to take just one lead in the set, at 11-10, before Mars Hill built a pair of four-point advantages. Trailing by four, at 21-17, Gillespie and sophomore Tinsley Hallman sandwiched kills around a block from Pittman and Irizarry to pull AU within 21-20. But the Lions answered by closing the set with four straight points for the win.

The Trojans fell behind by six early in the second set and still trailed 14-7 before Pittman ignited a rally with back-to-back kills and then combined with Irizarry for a block. Gillespie also helped fuel the comeback with a pair of kills and a block assist that enabled Anderson to take a 20-18 lead. AU built its largest lead of the frame, at 24-21, on a block from Pittman and Gillespie and following a kill by Butler, the Trojans took the set on an error by the Lions.

Mars Hill again took a quick lead in the third set, as the Lions jumped out to an 8-2 lead. But the Trojans stayed within striking distance and trailed by six when they erupted for seven unanswered points that turned a 15-9 deficit into a 16-15 lead. With Vallancourt serving, Mitter tallied three kills during the surge. AU edged out to a 20-17 lead to force a Mars Hill timeout and the Lions responded by knotting the score at 21 apiece. The score was even four more times, and with the Lions holding a 26-25 lead, Gillespie answered with back-to-back kills and AU took the set on the Lions' seventh miscue of the frame.

The Trojans never trailed in the fourth set, jumping out to an early 7-3 lead and increased the advantage to eight midway through the frame. Mars Hill trimmed the Trojan lead to six on two occasions, but AU turned the Lions away each time to claim the set.

Anderson returns to the Abney Athletic Center for a brief one-match homestand on Tuesday, when the Trojans play host to Brevard. First-serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. AU swept the Tornados, 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-23) earlier this season.