Box Score ANDERSON, S.C. -- A balanced offensive attack and a triple-double from sophomore right side
Samantha Cash (New Carlisle, Ohio) vaulted the Lady Railsplitters to a four-set win (19-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-23) over the Anderson Trojans in South Atlantic Conference action on Saturday afternoon in Anderson, S.C.Â
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Five different players produced at least seven kills for Lincoln Memorial (7-1, 4-0 SAC) to power an offense that catapulted the Lady Railsplitters to their first 4-0 start in SAC play since 2009, as well as the program's first seven-game winning streak since 2011. In addition to that, the Lady Railsplitters handed Anderson (6-5, 3-1 SAC) its first SAC loss of the season and improved to 14-5 in the all-time series.
In the process, head coach
Jenny Michael picked up her 100th career victory, as the sixth-year coach improved to 100-64 in her tenure at Lincoln Memorial.Â
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The Lady Railsplitters finished with 20 more kills than the Trojans, amassing 61 on a .224 attack percentage to crest the .200 percent plateau for the seventh consecutive match. On the other side, Anderson accounted for just 41 kills on a .163 attacking clip.
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In just her eighth appearance for the Lady Railsplitters, Sam Cash notched the first triple-double by an LMU women's volleyball player since Allison Beavers accomplished that feat in 2012, racking up 10 kills, 10 assists and 11 digs to go along with a solo block and two block assists.
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In addition to Cash,
Kiera Holland (Columbia, S.C.) collected a match-high 15 kills to go along with eight digs and three block assists.
Lindsey Nartker (New Carlisle, Ohio) turned in a breakout performance as well, as the freshman recorded her first career double-double with a career-high 13 kills and 12 digs.
Danielle Ged (Smyrna, Tenn.) had nine kills and four blocks, while
Tone Gill (Nashville, Tenn.) notched seven kills, two solo blocks and a pair of block assists.
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Senior
Abby Cash (New Carlisle, Ohio) had 41 assists, 14 digs and two service aces, while
Bristol Snider (Chattanooga, Tenn.) aided the Lady Railsplitters' defensive effort with 12 scoops.
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The Trojans were on a roll offensively in the opening set, amassing 13 kills on a .462 attack percentage. The frame was tied at 9-9 after a kill by
Liz Brock (Lima, Ohio), but Anderson went on a tear after that in the form of an 11-2 run, which put the Trojans ahead 20-11. Rachel Burts kick-started the flurry with a pair of early kills. The Lady Railsplitters pulled within five (23-18) later in the set following a 4-1 run, which was paced by two kills from Ged, but the Trojans were able to hold on and cap the 25-19 win with a kill from Allison Gaminde.
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Anderson cooled off in the second set while the Lady Railsplitters answered with a 13-kill set of their own to draw the match even. Lincoln Memorial fell into a 10-8 hole early, but a 3-0 run paced by kills from Nartker and Brock pushed the visitors ahead. The two teams would trade points over the ensuing passage until the Trojans took a brief 15-14 lead on an LMU attack error. However, the Lady Railsplitters took command of the board with a 6-1 run, which was powered by two Nartker kills. Anderson made it interesting late before Holland clinched the 25-21 win with a kill.
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A kill from Kathryn Hughes pushed the Trojans ahead 7-4 early in the third set, but the Lady Railsplitters would roll from there, opening up a commanding 12-8 lead with an 8-1 run highlighted by four kills by Holland. From there, Lincoln Memorial piled it on the Trojans, taking a 20-8 lead on a ball-handling error. Anderson made some noise late and forced LMU to burn a timeout, but kills from Sam Cash and Gill, along with an
Abby Cash service ace ended the Lady Railsplitters' 25-13 win.
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It was all Anderson early in the fourth set, as the Trojans looked to force a decisive fifth set and established a 14-9 lead on an Emily Conard service ace. However, the Lady Railsplitters used a 6-1 spurt to storm back and draw the set even at 15-15 on an Anderson attack error. The two teams were locked in a dogfight after that, with Emily Conlin giving the Trojans a 20-19 lead with a kill. Kills from Sam Cash and Nartker put Lincoln Memorial back in front, but the Trojans tied it three different times over the closing stretch. With the frame deadlocked at 23-23, a bad set and an attack error completed LMU's 25-23 win and ended the match.
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No Anderson player finished with more than nine kills in the match. Hughes led the way with nine kills on a .389 clip, while Serena Jackson had eight kills and Burts collected seven. Conlin racked up 27 assists and 11 digs, while Conard led the Trojans with 24 digs.
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The Lady Railsplitters are one of just two unbeaten teams remaining in the South Atlantic Conference after Saturday's win along with Wingate, who plays Catawba at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
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Lincoln Memorial returns to action on Tuesday, September 20, welcoming Mars Hill to Mary Mars Gymnasium for a 7 p.m. first serve. Live stats and video links will be available at www.LMURailsplitters.com.Â
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