LEBANON, Tenn. — The Railsplitters showed their brand of volleyball to open a three-match stay at Off the Block's Grow the Game Challenge in Friday's night cap.
 
The Lincoln Memorial University men's squad battled wire-to-wire with the University of Southern California before dropping the tournament's final match of the opening day 3-0, 22-25, 20-25, 23-25, on Cumberland University's campus in Lebanon, Tenn.
 
LMU (3-1) was carried by four match-leading categories: Dawson Walker's .600 hitting percentage, Pedro Carvalho's eight blocks, Johansen Negron's six digs and Evan Cory's 31 attacks. Cory, a junior, also led the Railsplitters with 11 kills and 13.5 points, while AJ Risavy had 28 assists.
 
Powered by Ryan Moss' match-high 14 kills and 17 points, USC (3-1) was able to hand the Railsplitters their first loss of the season. Matt Faraimo also contributed 32 assists, and Jack Wyett was second behind Moss with 10 kills.
 
The Railsplitters gave the Trojans a run for their money. In the first set, Cory started this highly anticipated "Battle of the AVCA Spotlight" match with a kill before the back-and-forth play called for an LMU timeout with the Railsplitters down, 11-15. The duo swapped points again, but USC kept steadily adding to its four-point lead behind its .333 hitting percentage and 15 kills, which was three less than LMU had. The Railsplitters, who sported a .348 hitting clip, were one point away from USC solidifying the set, but LMU made the Trojans sweat a little. It was a 3-0 run the Railsplitters ripped off to come within two before ultimately falling, 22-25, to the Division I product.
 
The second set was LMU's for the taking, but the Railsplitters lost control late. Down 20-18, USC signaled for a timeout and after it, the Trojans were untouchable, scoring seven straight points to stun the Railsplitters. LMU controlled this set, aiming to even the match and make things interesting as the Railsplitters used two 3-0 spurts to cushion a small lead. That was until the Trojans took advantage of LMU's poor .095 hitting percentage and capitalized behind their .273 clip to take a 2-0 match lead.
 
The Railsplitters' fight was unquestionable to the end. Down 11-18, LMU rattled off an 8-1 run to knot the score at 19-all, which forced two USC timeouts in the process. LMU took a point lead via a Trojan error, but the Railsplitters' advantage slipped away as USC prevailed late to secure the 3-0 sweep.
 
Up Next
LMU will face Limestone in its next match at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.