HARROGATE, Tenn. — Before traveling to North Carolina this weekend for a pair of matches, the Lincoln Memorial University men's volleyball team will cap off its three-game homestand with a mid-week matchup, aiming to continue its seven, game undefeated streak inside Mary Mars Gym this season.
 
The Basics
 
Wednesday, March 6 vs. Emmanuel College — 7 p.m.
Live Stats
 
Friday, March 8 at University of Mount Olive — 7 p.m.
Live Stats
Video
 
Saturday, March 9 at Lees-McRae College — 2 p.m.
Live Stats
Video
 
Quick Hits
 
-After nearly a month away from their home court, the Railsplitters (9-6) were welcomed with open arms and used a pair of dominate wins — a 3-1 victory over Queens Thursday followed by a 3-0 sweep of Cumberland — to get back onto the winning side this past weekend.
 
-LMU was eager to jump back into competition after its pair of games at Alderson Broaddus were canceled Feb. 22-23, following its last match at Hawaii Feb. 17 to allow the Railsplitters to really shake off any kind of jet lag.
 
-As the nation's No. 2 team in service aces with 1.96 per set, the Railsplitters used 17 aces to dismantle Cumberland on Friday, led by Jordan Walley's six, Randy Rivera's three plus two from Evan Cory, Logan and Lucas Kerley.
 
-LMU now has a whopping 104 service aces (2 per set) on the season as Cory paces the Railsplitters with 35, which places him second in the nation (0.673). The junior is also second in points per set (5.36) with a team-high 278.50 on the season.
 
-Cory outdid himself versus Queens with a stellar stat line — match-high 22 kills on a .354 attack percentage, seven blocks, eight digs and four service aces — to earn him the Off the Block Independent Teams Player of the Week for the fourth time this season.

-Cory's weekend upped him over 200 kills for the season (203) and knotted him with AJ Risavy with 69 digs apiece this season. As a team, the Railsplitters have 634 kills (12.0 per set), 587 assists — 508 by Risavy — plus 422 digs and 205 assisted blocks and 25 solo.
 
Notes on Emmanuel
 
-So far in 18 matches, the Lions (6-12) have had a sporadic season. After dropping the season opener, Emmanuel won three, then lost the next nine of 10 matches before winning a pair and dropping the next two ahead of its trip to Harrogate.
 
-As a team, the Lions are averaging 11.29 kills per set with a .224 hitting percentage plus 10.52 assists, 2.05 blocks, 1.07 service aces and 9.57 digs per set.
 
-Pacing the Lions' season total of 779 kills is Don Thompson (236), Aleksa Lakic (176) and Alejandro Robles (104). Thompson also leads his squad in hitting percentage (.356) and points (284.0) and is second with 16 service aces.
 
-Lakic has a team-high service aces (16) to lead the team's 74 and is second best in his 208.5 points scored. Server Demitrius Maloney has a team-high 610 assists, while libero Caleb Bonaventure leads with 175 digs.
 
-The Lions have never beaten the Railsplitters on their home court as LMU holds a 3-1 record, sweeping Emmanuel in its home match last year and then 3-2 in the inaugural 2017 season.
 
Notes on Mount Olive
 
-After playing the Railsplitters in Harrogate twice — a 3-2 win and 0-3 loss — the Trojans will welcome LMU to Mount Olive, N.C. Since the two played Jan. 13 in the Railsplitters' first-ever victory over UMO in straight sets, the Trojans (5-10) have had an up-and-down go of things.
 
-UMO lost the first four straight, including the 3-0 loss at LMU, before winning the next five of seven matches and then dropping the next four heading into this season re-match with the Railsplitters inside Kornegay Arena.
 
-The Trojans are hitting .225 as a team while averaging 10.48 kills, 9.75 assists, 2.47 blocks, 1.09 service aces and 8.64 digs per set through 15 matches.
 
-Brad Monaghen leads the team with 104 kills, while Tobi Azeez 99 and Eric Visgitis has 86. Jarrod Ferguson and Luke Visgitis also have 84 apiece. Shane Yeo has a team-high 12 service aces, while Ferguson has one less (11) and Joel Roberts has 113 digs. Nicolas Laxar is the team leader in assists with 272.
 
Notes on Lees-McRae
 
-The last time the Bobcats hosted the Railsplitters they defeated them in straight sets Jan. 13, 2017. Since then, LMU has a 2-0 record versus Lees-McRae on its home court, winning 3-2 in 2017 and 3-0 March 16, 2018.
 
-In 13 matches, the Bobcats (1-12) have only won one game, which came against Bluefield College in straight sets Jan. 15, and since then they lost 11 straight.
 
-So far this season, Lees-McRae has averaged 8.84 kills, a .118 hitting percentage along with 2 blocks, 1 service ace and 7.77 digs per set.
 
-Leading the Bobcats is Drew Sims with his 103 kills (2.34 per set), 135.5 points and nine of the team's 44 service aces. Next is Nick Cookingham with his 315 assists and 46 digs while Isaac Reed has one more dig (47).