NEWBERRY, S.C. — The red-hot Lincoln Memorial University women's volleyball team hits the road for their first true road test with a pair of South Atlantic Conference matches. The Lady Railsplitters take on Newberry College (5-5, 0-3) before going head-to-head with Anderson University (13-1, 4-0) to finish the weekend.
 
Friday, Sept. 21 at Newberry — 7 p.m.
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Saturday, Sept. 22 at Anderson — 2 p.m.
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Quick Hits
 
- The Lady Railsplitters have won both of their SAC matches in convincing fashion, beating Queens, 3-1, last Friday before sweeping Tusculum, 3-0, Tuesday night.
 
- On top of LMU's sweep of Tusculum, senior Erica Whiteaker became the new career recorder holder in digs (1,809) with her 28th and final one versus Tusculum. The libero surpassed Casey Mense, who played from 2012-15 and held the previous record of 1,808.

- Whiteaker sits at the top of the SAC in digs per set with 7.41, while she's third overall with 200 digs so far this season. She also is second in the conference in service aces per set with 0.59.
 
- Junior Lindsey Nartker was back on the floor after missing the meeting with Queens, but the Lady Railsplitters were another woman down midway through the second set when Emma Flowers had to be helped off the court. Head coach Jenny Michael said following the victory that her freshman was day-to-day with an ankle injury and would be monitored accordingly.
 
- Another freshman in Emily Walter continues to post heading-turning numbers. After having 35 assists against Queens, the setter pushed across 35, bringing her to 260 assists through 27 sets played. She sits fourth in the conference with 9.63 assists per set.
 
- Rylee Storms was another Lady Railsplitter who stood out Tuesday, smacking across a season-high 12 kills after posting 10 against versus Queens.
 
Know the Opponents 
 
Newberry College:
 
- Newberry went 5-2 in nonconference play across the Volley in the Mountains and Francis Marion Invitational tournaments. SAC play hasn't been as kind, as the Wolves have dropped their first three matches to Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill and Anderson.
 
- Newberry opened its season with nine straight matches away from Eleazer Arena before finally playing its home opener Tuesday against Anderson. The Wolves were swept in straight sets in both road SAC matches at Lenoir-Rhyne and Mars Hill. The team took SAC-leading Anderson to five sets.
 
- Wolves registered a season-high 16.0 blocks Tuesday against Anderson —7.0 more than in any other match.
 
- Toni-Anne Whitlow leads the team with 93 kills and 2.66 kills per set. She has racked up a double-digit kill total in six of 10 matches. Three other players—Angela Gore (2.26), Zoe Dinkins (2.23) and Vanessa Blas (2.03) have collected over 70 kills and average over two per set.
 
- Dinkins leads the league in both total blocks (55.0) and blocks per set (1.57). She stands 16.0 blocks and 0.01 blocks per set ahead of LMU's Tone Gill, who is second in both categories. Dinkins also leads the conference in solo blocks with 12, and Newberry leads all SAC teams with 21. The Wolves rank second in the SAC in blocks per frame behind the Lady Railsplitters.

- Newberry ranks last in the SAC in digs per set by over a full dig.

- The Wolves have dropped eight straight home matches. The team's last home win came on October 6, 2017 over Lenoir-Rhyne
 
Anderson University:
 
Anderson is winners of nine straight, including a SAC-leading 4-0 mark in league play, and is off to its best start in program history. The team has also won 18 straight at home and has not lost in the Abney Center since October 18, 2016.
 
- The Trojans lead the SAC in total kills and rank second behind Wingate in kills per set (13.77), hitting percentage (.220), assists per set (13.13).
 
-Anderson leads the conference with 83 service aces but ranks fifth at 1.73 per set.
 
- The Trojans can be vulnerable in the middle, as the team only ranks seventh in the conference with 1.79 blocks per set. Anderson does not have a player rank inside the top 10 in the SAC in blocks per set.
 
- Kaitlyn Grube ranks second in the SAC in total kills with 144 and fourth at 3.20 per set. She is also tied for fourth with 16 service aces. Grube has recorded a double-digit kills total in nine of 14 appearances, including six of the past seven and all four SAC matches.
 
- Emily Conlin leads the SAC with 11.72 assists per set and 23 service aces. She also pitches in 3.12 digs per set, which is third on the team.
 
- Hailee Wilhelm ranks third in the SAC with a .339 hitting percentage and is third on the team with 82 kills. She leads the team with 22.0 total blocks.
 
 
Head-to-Head 
 
- The Lady Railsplitters own a 19-9 edge all-time against Newberry, though the teams have split the regular-season series for each of the past six seasons. LMU and Newberry have traded wins over each other for the past 13 matches dating back to 2012. The Lady Railsplitters won the most recent matchup.
 
- Lincoln Memorial has also historically fared well against Anderson to the tune of a 15-7 record. However, Anderson swept the season series in 2017 and is 6-5 over the Lady Railsplitters since 2013.