WINGATE, N.C. – The Wingate University women's volleyball team showed why they are the No. 24 ranked program in the nation according to the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Top 25 poll Friday night inside Cuddy Arena in North Carolina. The host Bulldogs, who remain a perfect 13-0 on the season and are 6-0 in South Atlantic Conference play, dealt 42 kills and collected 48 digs en route to handing the Lincoln memorial University women's volleyball team its second consecutive straight-set road loss, 3-0.
 
The visiting Lady Railsplitters (2-8, 2-5 SAC) were held to only 11 kills on the night and an attack percentage of .013 as Wingate swung at a mark of .297 across the three sets. Unable to account for more than 14 point in any set, 25-13, 25-13, 25-14, LMU attacked at a clip of .107 in the final set but was unable to tame the Bulldogs, who amassed 19 kills in the fifth behind attacking at .342.
 
Beginning the night with an ace from sophomore setter Emily Walter, the Lady Railsplitters took a 4-1 lead in the opening set after a Wingate setting error and an attack error. Another Bulldog attack error allowed LMU to go up by three at 6-3, but nine-straight points by the home team gave Wingate a comfortable margin at 12-6. A kill from freshman outside hitter Cate Hosenfeld kept the Lady Railsplitters within striking distance at 17-11 but from there the Bulldogs won eight of the final 10 points of the set.
 
Wingate rushed out to a 7-1 lead in the second stanza before LMU made it a four-point set at 9-5. However, the Bulldogs responded with a six-point run to go ahead 15-5 and continued to 18-6. The Lady Railsplitters won five of the following six points, getting within eight at 19-11, but the home team would only allow two more points in the set to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Much like set two, Wingate raced to an 11-1 advantage in set three and did not loosen its grip until four Bulldog errors and a kill from freshman middle hitter Makayla Fox helped LMU win five of six points, making it 20-9. A kill by senior outside hitter Lindsey Nartker and a pair of Wingate attack errors got the Lady Railsplitters within nine at 21-12. Moments later senior right side hitter Rylee Storms connected on a kill and the Bulldogs committed another attack error to make it a nine-point set at 23-14, but a pair of Wingate kills won the third set for the hosts and clinched the match.
 
Nartker recorded a team-best three kills, while Hosenfeld and Storms each claimed a pair. Walter assisted on seven kills as Storms and Fox rose up for two blocks each and Nartker made nine digs.
 
Lynnlee Mather led the way for the Bulldogs, registering nine kills with Anne Abernathy contributing six and Sophie Schaff five. Wingate got nine aces from Marianna Warren, 18 assists from Shannon Kasprak and a trio of blocks from Sophie Schaff. Rachel Alles and Warren made two blocks each as Treslyn Ortiz dug out 15 LMU attacks.
 
Up Next…
The Lady Railsplitters wrap up their extensive, seven-match SAC road swing Saturday afternoon in Hartsville, South Carolina, with a 2 p.m. tilt at Coker University. LMU will then return home for next weekend's matches against Catawba Friday, Oct. 4 and Queens Saturday, Oct. 5 inside the friendly confines of Mary Mars Gymnasium in Harrogate.

Stay tuned to LMURailsplitters.com, as well as LMU's social media platforms - @LMURailsplitter on Twitter, @LMURailsplitters on Facebook and @lmurailsplitters on Instagram, for complete coverage of Lady Railsplitter volleyball throughout the 2019 season.