CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After back-to-back weekends with three matches in consecutive days, the Lincoln Memorial University men's volleyball team is turning it down a notch with just a single match against a well-known foe among Railsplitter Athletics.
The Basics
Saturday, Jan. 26 at Queens — 4 p.m.
Live Stats
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Quick Hits
- The Railsplitters (4-2) haven't slowed down since their season opener Jan. 11. LMU has played six matches in a two-week span, winning four of the six heading into Charlotte, N.C.
- LMU swept three of those four victories, surrendering just one set to Belmont Abbey while sweeping Campbellsville, Mount Olive and Limestone. The Railsplitters headed to Off the Block's Grow the Game Challenge behind a 3-0 record — wins over Belmont Abbey, Campbellsville and Mount Olive — and showed their force from the get-go.
- The Railsplitters' 3-0 loss to Southern California wasn't indicative of what really happened in those three sets. LMU came close to winning two before ultimately falling short on a neutral court Friday, Jan. 18. The Railsplitters bounced back the next day, sweeping Limestone before battling back from a 2-0 deficit and almost stunning No. 15-ranked Grand Canyon in a 3-2 loss.
- Following the Grow the Game Challenge, Railsplitter
Pedro Carvalho was named Off the Block National Middle Attack of the Week. The 6-foot-7 junior finished the three-match weekend with 19 kills, 22 blocks, five aces and a .457 hitting percentage. His six-match dominance to start the season ranks him No. 2 in the nation with 1.571 blocks per set.
- Carvalho's teammate
Evan Cory also made his presence known over last weekend, leading his team with 43 kills and 53 points to earn a spot on the Grow the Game Challenge All-Tournament Team. Nationally, Cory is third in points (5.45) and service aces (.810) and seventh in kills (4.19) per set.
- As a team, the Railsplitters rank in the top-10 in two categories nationally: service aces (fifth) and blocks (ninth) per set. LMU is also 13th in kills (12.24) and team attacks (26.95) per set.
Know the Opponent
- The Royals (1-4) hosted five consecutive matches on their home court in the Levine Center in the first three weeks of the season, but were able to secure just one victory.
- Queens lost three of those four in straight sets while winning one set over North Greenville in the other match. The Royals got on the winning side last Friday, defeating Lees-McRae College via a sweep.
- Despite a losing record, the Royals are second in the nation in digs (10.69) and team attacks (28.94) per set. However, the next best ranking is 29th in opponent hitting percentage (.264).
- Nic Cavallaro is leading Queens with 9.13 attacks per set, which is fourth nationally, while his teammate Ruben Greenstein is fourth in digs (2.63) per set.
- Queens will travel to Limestone College tonight (Friday) before hosting the Railsplitters less than 24 hours later.
Head-to-Head
- These two Independent Volleyball Association teams have meet three times before this matchup in North Carolina. Each have had a home match where both have won its respective one. The Railsplitters swept Queens, 3-0, Feb. 24, 2018, and then less than month later the Royals took a five-set victory over LMU on their home court.
- In a neutral setting, the Railsplitters bullied past the Royals, 3-0, in the IVA Tournament last year to take the one match series lead and are now aiming to make it two on Saturday.
