HONOLULU, Hawaii – Battling in the first of three games against the defending national champions, No. 15 Lincoln Memorial fell in three sets to No. 3 Hawai'I on Friday night.
 
The Railsplitters (8-1) fell for the first time this season but did not go down without a fight as the match was identical throughout. The Rainbow Warriors (11-2) hit .304 in the match while limiting LMU to just a .272 hitting percentage.
 
Cole Campisano paced the Splitters with 12 kills on the night while hitting a team-best .500 percent. Justin Sharfenaker and Johansen Negron also tallied double-digit kills in the effort as the duo both finished with 11 kills. Freshman Kohl Kutsch finished the night with 28 assists and five digs.
 
Hawaii got things going early, taking an 3-0 lead, but the Railsplitters were able to close in on the lead just moments later. Lincoln Memorial saw their first lead of the night 6-5 on a service ace from Sharfenaker. The Rainbow Warriors then retook the lead and did not look back as the host took set one, 25-21.
 
The second set saw Lincoln Memorial take an early lead before the Rainbow Warriors gained the lead. The Railsplitters regained the lead moments later, but a three-point rally by Hawai'I saw them take a 19-18 lead. The Rainbow Warriors were able to hold onto the lead, taking the second set, 25-21.
 
The Rainbow Warriors raced out to a 7-3 lead to begin the third set, but Lincoln Memorial was able to close in on the lead, 12-10. Using multiple rallies over the course of the third set, Hawai'i was able to stop any Splitter comeback to win the third, 25-21.