HARROGATE, Tenn. – For the first time this season and the 56th time in program history, the Lincoln Memorial women's volleyball will face off against the rival Carson-Newman Eagles on Tuesday night in a South Atlantic Conference slugfest at Mary Mars Gymnasium. 
 
The Lady Railsplitters (9-6, 5-4 SAC) and Eagles (9-7, 5-4 SAC) enter Tuesday night's match with nearly identical records and resumes. Lincoln Memorial's four SAC losses have come against Anderson, Mars Hill, Lenoir-Rhyne and most recently Wingate, while Carson-Newman has lost to Anderson, Wingate, Mars Hill and Queens. 
 
Both teams will also be trying to rebound from losses, as the Lady Railsplitters were beaten in four sets by Wingate on Saturday while Carson-Newman fell in straight sets against Mars Hill that same day. 
 
The Basics 
 
Tuesday, October 9 vs. Carson-Newman – 7pm
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Quick Hits 
 
- For the first time since 2016, the Lady Railsplitters took a set off Wingate, but eventually fell in four sets on Saturday at Mary Mars Gym. Despite becoming only the sixth team to win a set against the remarkably dominant Bulldogs this season, Lincoln Memorial sank to 1-26 in the all-time series and dropped its first home match since November 2017. 
 
- Sophomore Alicia Kessler had her best performance of the season against Wingate, producing 10 kills with only one error on 22 attempts to finish with a .409 attack percentage. Rylee Storms and Emma Flowers added nine kills apiece. 
 
- LMU held Coker to a .044 attack percentage in its 3-0 win on Friday night. Storms and Kai Wesemann paced the Lady Railsplitters with nine kills each, while three other players had at least four kills. 
 
- Tuesday's match marks the exact midway point of the SAC schedule for the Lady Railsplitters, who are currently tied with Carson-Newman for fifth place in the standings. 
 
- Senior libero Erica Whiteaker needs only 20 digs to become the first player in program history with 2,000 career digs. The Kingston Springs, Tenn., native is ranked second in the SAC in digs per set with 7.00 and third in total digs with 371 this season. 
 
- Freshman setter Emily Walter has been solid in her debut season with the Lady Railsplitters, ranking fourth in the SAC in assists per set with 9.6 and fifth in total assists with 509. In addition to that, Walter has provided 3.15 digs per set and has produced eight double-doubles in 15 appearances. 
 
- Lincoln Memorial is 8-1 at Mary Mars Gym. The Lady Railsplitters have hit .198 on their home court compared to a .152 mark on the road. 
 
Know the Opponent 
 
- The Eagles were held to a .124 attack percentage in Saturday's straight-set loss to Mars Hill. Megan Oldenburger led the team with eight kills, while Natalie Harris chipped in six on just 13 swings. 
 
- Four players are averaging over two kills per set for Carson-Newman. Oldenburger leads that quartet with 3.08 on a .162 hitting percentage to go with 3.26 digs per frame. Marnie Streeter is contributing 2.72 kills and 2.68 digs per frame, while Joy Rhodes (2.31) and Erin Edwards (2.13) are just over the two kills per set benchmark. 
 
- The Eagles are ranked ninth in the SAC in kills per set as a team with 11.45. They are hitting .169 cumulatively while limiting opponents to a .151 mark. C-N has been much more impressive defensively, ranking second in the league with 2.17 blocks per set and third with 20.65 digs per frame. 
 
- Junior libero Morgan Ballard leads the league in digs (436) and digs per set (7.93). She has produced at least 20 digs in 11 of her 15 appearances, including a 51-dig effort against Lenoir-Rhyne on Friday. 
 
- The Eagles have played the bulk of their matches outside of Jefferson City this season. Carson-Newman is 4-3 on the road, 3-2 in neutral-site contests and 2-2 at home. 
 
- Sophomore middle blocker Katie Parnell leads the Eagles with 1.21 blocks per set and 70 total. Harris and Edwards are second on the team with 41 blocks apiece. 
 
Series History 
 
- The Lady Railsplitters own a 37-19 record against their rivals from Jefferson City, Tenn. That includes a 19-8 mark at Mars Gym. 
 
- Lincoln Memorial has won 10 of the previous 15 meetings, but will be looking to avenge a 3-2 loss to the Eagles in the most recent meeting on October 24, 2017 in Harrogate. 
 
- Kessler provided a career-high 21 kills while Lindsey Nartker had 12 in last season's home loss to the Eagles. Streeter (19) and Oldenburger (17) combined for 36 kills to power the C-N attack.