WISE, Va. – Wrapping up the road portion of its regular season, the Lincoln Memorial University women's volleyball team upended The University of Virginia's College at Wise 3-0 Tuesday night inside the David J. Prior Convocation Center in Wise, Virginia. Earning their second straight-set victory of the unique 2020-21 campaign, the Lady Railsplitters (3-5, 3-5 SAC) held the host Cavaliers (0-7, 0-7 SAC) to a mere 23 kills and a .051 attack percentage in the midweek South Atlantic Conference matchup.
 
Not allowing more than 20 points in any of the three sets, LMU won by set scores of 25-20, 25-13 and 25-19 while laying down 47 kill off a .257 attack. The Lady Railsplitters recorded at least 15 kills in each set, swung at a .300 clip in the opening set and limited UVA Wise to a -.214 attack in set two.
 
Setting the tone early, LMU won eight of the first 10 points of the match and took a 20-13 lead in the first set with a block from sophomore middle blocker Kaley Long and freshman outside hitter Haley Brown. After the Cavaliers went on a 6-2 run to get within three at 22-19, the Lady Railsplitters got a kill from junior opposite hitter Gabriela Abreu and a UVA Wise attack error to earn set point. Following an LMU attack error, freshman middle blocker Richlyn Ross secured the opening set with a kill.
 
Posting 16 kills in both the first and third set, the Lady Railsplitters notched 15 kills in the second. Winning the first nine points of set two, LMU took a commanding 12-1 lead on a solo block by sophomore middle blocker Sierrah Lemons. The Cavaliers would go on a 7-3 run to make it respectable at 15-8 but a 9-3 Lady Railsplitter run gave LMU set point at 24-11. After a pair of Lady Railsplitter errors, freshman outside hitter Katie Cardenas rose up for a set-clinching kill.
 
With a two-set advantage, LMU attacked at .237 in set three and took six of the first eight points. UVA Wise made it a two-point set at 7-5 before Brown capped a 7-2 run with a kill to extend the Lady Railsplitters' lead to 14-7. Kills from Cardenas and Lemons pushed LMU in front 19-11 and a kill by freshman setter Finley Sims made it 21-13. The Cavaliers' final push of the night got UVA Wise within four at 23-19 following a 6-2 run, but an Abreu kill and an attack error by the home team quickly brought an end to the match.
 
Abreu led the way with nine kills, while Lemons, Ross and Brown all finished with seven kills apiece. Junior setter Emily Walter tallied a match-high 35 assists and senior libero Sarah Jones made a match-high 18 digs. Sophomore defensive specialist Karlie Dennard added seven digs.
 
Adison Minor and Madelyn Lawrence combined for 10 kills for the Cavaliers and UVA Wise's Makayla Ledford nearly had a double-double with nine assists and nine digs. The Cavaliers also got two service aces and a block from Ledford as Rylee Waye provided 10 assists and Evynne Stafford 14 digs.
 
Up Next…
The Lady Railsplitters close out the regular season this weekend with a pair of matches inside historic Mary E. Mars Gymnasium. LMU hosts Anderson University for a 7 p.m. first serve Friday night before welcoming Newberry College at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon for senior day.
 
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 Lady Railsplitter volleyball throughout the 2020-21 season.