GAFFNEY, S.C. – Just one day after being narrowly edged by Queens University of Charlotte in a five-set road affair, the Lincoln Memorial University men's volleyball team wrapped up its weekend away from home with the Railsplitters' fifth straight-set victory of the season Sunday afternoon at Limestone University. Racking up 45 kills inside the Timken Center in Gaffney, South Carolina, LMU (6-8) won three consecutive sets of 25-23, 25-19 and 29-27 to earn its third road triumph of 2021.
 
The Railsplitters held on late in the opening two sets after building significant leads and staged a comeback in the third set. Backed by a .278 attack, LMU served a trio of aces and got 10 total team blocks while the host Saints (8-6) swung at a .216 clip with 38 kills and notched 11 total team blocks.
 
Led by sophomore outside hitter Jacob Titus' 12 kills and junior outside hitter Logan Kerley's season-high 10 kills, the Railsplitters overcame 20 attack errors and pulled away from Limestone midway through the first set. A five-point run capped by a kill from Kerley gave LMU a 16-12 lead in set one and the Railsplitters led 23-19 following a block by Kerley and senior middle hitter Pedro Carvalho. After the Saints threatened late with a 4-1 run, Kerley ended the set with a kill. The Railsplitters totaled 13 kills in the set off a .222 attack and Limestone collected 11 kills off a .250 attack.
 
An impressive .414 attack percentage and 17 kills propelled LMU to a convincing second set with the Railsplitters holding the Saints to a .200 attack. Despite trailing 4-2 early, LMU used a five-point run capped by another Kerley kill to push in front 20-13. A kill by freshman right side hitter Justin Sharfenaker gave the Railsplitters seven match points at 24-17 and moments later Sharfenaker secured a two-set lead with his fifth kill of the afternoon.
 
Both teams hit .206 with 15 kills each in what ended up as the final set of the day. Falling behind 7-4 early, LMU took a 12-9 lead on a kill from Carvalho but a 7-0 Limestone run put the hosts in front 18-14. Down 22-18, the Railsplitters put together five consecutive points with kills from sophomore middle/right side hitter Dawson Walker and Titus and blocks from Carvalho and junior setter AJ Risavy, along with a service ace from freshman defensive specialist Jacob Miller, to take a one-point, 23-22 advantage. LMU got its first match point on a kill by Titus at 24-23 and a Carvalho kill made it 25-24. However, the Saints won the next two points before Kerley knotted things up at 26 and a Limestone attack error gave the Railsplitters their third match point at 27-26. After the Saints tied things at 27, Walker rose up for a kill and another Limestone attack error closed the match.
 
Carvalho finished with nine kills, an ace and six blocks while Risavy claimed a season-best five blocks, match-high 41 assists and season-high tying seven digs. Kerley added five digs and Sharfenaker seven kills and four digs as Walker posted four blocks.
 
The Saints got 15 kills and six digs from Francisco Salinger and Limestone's Jon Igo tallied a match-best eight blocks and five kills. Christos Gkitersos assisted on 30 of the Saints' kills.
 
Up Next…
LMU returns to the friendly confines of historic Mary E. Mars Gymnasium this upcoming week, hosting King Tuesday, March 16 and Tusculum Friday, March 19. Both matches are slated for a 2 p.m. first serve.
 
How to Follow
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 Railsplitter volleyball throughout the 2021 season.