Greenville, N.C. – Campbell dropped a five-set match to Appalachian State Friday afternoon at the Pirate Invitational. The Camels took the first two sets, but couldn't seal the deal and remain on the hunt for their first win of the season.
 
The loss drops Campbell to 0-5 to start the season, the slowest start to a season since 2010.
 
The Camels won the first set for the first time all season with a 30-28 marathon win in the opening frame. Campbell trailed by as many as six at 16-10, but slowly battled back to finally take a lead at 23-20. The work wasn't done, having to hold off four Mountaineer set points before the breakthrough at 30-28 for the win.
 
The second set was tight the entire way, with neither team leading by more than three until the final point gave Campbell the 25-21 set win. Campbell's defense stepped up in the frame with three blocks and held App to hitting only .059 in the set, forcing seven App attack errors.
 
The Mountaineers stayed alive with a 25-19 win in the third set. A 5-0 run by the Mountaineers in the middle of the set pushed the lead to five and would not be relinquished. This time it was Campbell's offense that faltered, hitting .029 in the third set.
 
App capitalized on the momentum and raced out to a 10-0 lead that wouldn't be surrendered in a 25-16 fourth set. This time, Campbell hit a flat .000, committing just as many errors as kills in the fourth.
 
Campbell couldn't rebound in the fifth set, dropping the final frame 15-9.
 
Maddie Converse handed out a career-high 49 assists, the most by any Camel since Madee Miner had 54 on Nov. 2, 2018. Abbie Tuyo and Chloe Cook led the attack with 13 kills each, and Claranne Fechter notched a match-high 18 digs on defense.
 
Campbell returns to action tomorrow against Bethune-Cookman in the final match of the Pirate Invitational at 11 a.m.