CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Lincoln Memorial University men's volleyball team's road woes continued Friday evening as the Railsplitters (9-10) fell to Queens (5-17) in five sets (25-23, 22-25, 23-25, 25-18, 12-15) at the Levine Center.
Evan Cory led all players with 18 kills, but the Railsplitters committed a season-high 29 attack errors and hit .107. Queens didn't hit much better at .128 but led 52-43 in kills. The Royals also totaled more digs (52-43) while LMU led in blocks 14-8. Service aces were even at eight apiece.
Cory added 12 digs and four blocks.
Pedro Carvalho pitched in nine kills and a match-high six blocks.
AJ Risavy dished out 36 assists.
Gregory Esquivel led the Royals with 12 kills while Tristan Santoyo added 10 and three service aces. Aleksandar Perisic totaled five blocks, and Conner Nagaki led all players with 15 digs. Jack Mitchner totaled 48 assists.
Queens used an early 7-1 run in the first set to take a 12-7 lead, but the Railsplitters battled back to go ahead 20-18. The Royals tied the score back at 20, but LMU took the next two points. The teams traded points the rest of the way with the Railsplitters taking the opening set 25-23 on Cory's fifth kill. Queens led in kills 14-9 but committed nine attack errors. LMU hit more efficiently at .227-.172.
The Royals took a 6-1 lead to open the second set. Lincoln Memorial used a 6-0 run to take a 17-16 lead, but Queens answered back with five straight points to go back ahead 21-17. The teams mostly traded points the rest of the way with Queens winning 25-22 to even the match. The Royals again led in kills 14-9 but were much improved with a .310 attack percentage. Meanwhile, LMU hit just .130.
LMU led by as much as four in the third set at 17-13, but Queens rallied back to tie the score at 20. The Royals then took a 23-21 lead before the Railsplitters took the next two points to again even the score. Queens took the final two points on a service error and attack error to take the set 25-23. LMU finished the set with nine kills and 10 errors for a -.032 hitting percentage.
The Railsplitters opened the fourth set up 9-3, but Queens again rallied to cut the deficit to 16-15. LMU then took seven of the next eight points to take a commanding 23-16 lead and went on to even the match by taking the set 25-18. Kills were even at 11, but Queens committed 10 attack errors and had its worst hitting set at .027 while LMU only committed two errors and had its best hitting set at .300.
Queens used a 7-2 run early in the final set to take a 9-5 lead and held on to win 15-12 to claim the match. LMU led in kills 5-2 but hit -.080 due to seven attack errors.
The Railsplitters continue their road trip Saturday at 1 p.m. at Belmont Abbey.
