GRANITEVILLE, S.C. – The Lincoln Memorial University women's volleyball program got their season underway on Friday afternoon as they dropped the opening contest to UNC Pembroke (15-25, 16-25, 23-25), but bounced back and defeated Converse (23-25, 25-27, 25-21, 25-17, 15-7) to close out day one of the USC Aiken Invitational.

Setter Emily Walters was a large contributor to the LMU offense on the day as she tallied 67 total assists for an average of 8.38 per set on Friday. The senior also tallied 14 digs on the day to help lead a balanced back line with teammates Gabriela Abreu, Karen Morris and Katie Cardenas.

Benefiting from Walter's precision passing was Katie Cardenas and Gabriela Abreu. Between the two matches on Friday, Abreu and Cardenas combined for 42 kills. Abreu scored 18 on .131 hitting percentage, while Cardenas tallied 24 on a .279 hitting percentage.

Game One – UNC Pembroke 3, LMU 0

The Lady Railsplitters fell in their first contest of the day to the Braves in three sets.

UNC Pembroke opened their offense early and did not look back. In the first set alone, the Braves tallied 11 kills with just four errors. LMU got out to a 4-1 lead early, but a kill by the Braves sent them on a eight-point run to take a 11-5 lead. The Lady Railsplitters were able to bring the score to within seven points, but UNC Pembroke kept up with the offensive power and took the first set 25-15.

LMU got out to an early 2-0 lead to begin the second set, but the Braves took the lead going up 4-2. The Lady Railsplitters did not back down as they kept the game close. UNC Pembroke went onto go on a four-point run to break away and capture the second set, 25-16.

The Braves went onto take an early lead in the third set, but the Lady Railsplitters came back to take a 9-7 lead after a four-point run. Both teams went back and forth until UNC Pembroke went on a three-point runt to create some separation. LMU returned the favor to bring the Braves' lead to one before evening things up at 23 apiece. The Braves were able to connect on the next two points to capture the third set, 25-23, and the match.

Game Two – LMU 3, Converse 2

The Lady Railsplitters and the Valkyries both got out to hot starts as LMU connected for 11 kills on a .205 hitting percentage while Converse hit .167 with 11 kills and five errors. The Lady Railsplitters connected early and often taking a 10-4 lead into a Converse timeout. The Valkyries then responded with six points in the next eight serves to bring the LMU lead to just two points. Converse and the Lady Railsplitters battled before the Valkyries captured the first set, 25-23.

A six-point run by Converse allowed them to take an early 8-2 lead over LMU in the second set, before the Lady Railsplitters battled back to bring the score within six. Both offenses went battled before a timeout by Converse with LMU up 23-22. The Valkyries then turned up the pressure to even things out at 25 apiece before capturing the second set, 27-25.

LMU opened with a 4-1 lead in the third set and held onto the lead until the Valkyries took it at 18-17. Both programs went onto swap points before the Lady Railsplitters broke away and captured the third set 25-21 behind seven kills in the set from Richlyn Ross.

The high-powered Lady Railsplitters offense came to life in the fourth set. The Braves took a 4-3 lead before LMU went on a five-point run to take an 8-5 lead. LMU took the lead and never looked back as they went onto capture the fourth set, 25-17. Chloe Britton tallied a 1.000 hitting percentage in the set with two kills, while Kaley Long recorded two kills on a .400 hitting percentage.

The Lady Railsplitters went into the fifth set determined to come out on top and using nine-point run to take a 13-4 lead. Converse tried to mount a comeback, but LMU was able to keep the Valkyries at bay to capture the fifth set, 15-7, and secure their first victory of the 2021 season.