LEBANON, Tenn. — The Lincoln Memorial University men's volleyball team was clicking on all cylinders Saturday afternoon.
In the Railsplitters' second match of the Off the Block Grow the Game Challenge, LMU bounced back from a three-set sweep the night before and handed out one of its own in a 3-0, 25-22, 25-22, 25-19, victory over Limestone at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn.
The Railsplitters'
Evan Cory was on fire, much like his team's overall .413 hitting percentage, where the junior smacked down a match-high 19 kills and 23 points. Cory also had six blocks, which was just one behind his teammate and match leader
Pedro Carvalho, who had seven.
Danny Hermida was third among kill leaders, connecting on 11 while the Saints' F Salinger Cenzual had 12.
Once again,
AJ Risavy led from an assist standpoint with a season-high 43. Limestone's Logan Riley was six behind him with 37.
The Railsplitters (4-1) were sizzling from the get-go. LMU took a commanding 11-16 set-one lead, but the Saints responded, rattling off a 6-1 run to knot it at 17-all. The two teams then exchanged points for the last stretch; however, it was LMU's .538 hitting percentage that gave the Railsplitters the edge. LMU used a 3-0 spurt — capped off by a
Johansen Negron kill — to push the Railsplitters to a 1-0 match lead.
After Limestone (0-1) tied the second set at 12, LMU took the lead for good. The Saints came within a couple points multiple times, but the Railsplitters held onto the advantage, unlike against USC where LMU lost grip late. This match was a different story, and Cory's play illustrated that as he solidified the set-two victory with one of his 19 kills.
The Railsplitters never let up. LMU roared out to a 8-2 lead in the third set, forcing a Limestone timeout which followed with three straight Saint points. But, LMU added onto its lead once Limestone came within striking distance. Powered by a 11-4 run, the Railsplitters were able to slowly but surely close the Saints down. Cory put an exclamation point on it with this 19th and final kill for the 3-0 match sweep and 2-0 series lead over Limestone.
