Harrogate, TN — Lincoln Memorial (7–7, 3–2 SAC) heads into a pivotal weekend of South Atlantic Conference play, traveling to face No. 20 Wingate on Friday at 7 p.m. before meeting Catawba on Saturday at 1 p.m. 

The Railsplitters enter the trip with a balanced attack and a defense that has shown consistency through 14 matches. LMU is averaging 12.2 kills per set while libero Lauren Jacob anchors the back row with 253 digs, good for 5.06 per set. Offensively, outside hitter Kaytlin Johnson continues to set the pace with 180 kills (3.40 per set) and 13 service aces. She is supported by Laney Inman, who has tallied 109 kills and is hitting .240, and Megan Maier, who has added 112 kills along with 15 aces. In the middle, Sarah Robbins has provided balance with 80 kills while also leading the team in blocks with 37. Jazmine Starks adds 43 kills and 27 blocks of her own. The two-setter system of Carley Raleigh (315 assists; 5.94 per set) and Lauren Pickett (216 assists; 4.08 per set, 26 aces) has kept the offense versatile, with the duo helping LMU average 1.9 aces per set from the service line.

Friday's matchup against Wingate will be one of LMU's toughest challenges this season. The Bulldogs (11–1, 3–0 SAC) ride a 10-match winning streak and have been dominant across the board, posting a .270 team hitting percentage while averaging 14.8 kills per set. Setter Maya Van Heyst directs the offense with 9.95 assists per set, feeding a frontline that features Sydney Morland (.437, 3.39 kills per set) and Gabby Saye (.386, 2.72 kills per set). On defense, libero Maddie Hoffman leads the back row at 5.13 digs per set. LMU has struggled historically against Wingate (2–36 all-time), but the Railsplitters did claim a five-set victory at home in 2024.

The trip continues Saturday at Catawba, where the Railsplitters face a team looking to climb out of a slow conference start. The Indians (3–6, 0–4 SAC) are averaging 11.6 kills per set on .174 hitting, led by six-rotation scorer Sofia Beard (117 kills; 3.16 per set) and Lillie Kate Rogers (100 kills). Service reception has been an issue for Catawba, with opponents averaging 2.30 aces per set, allowing LMU's strong serving game to tilt the match in their favor. LMU holds a 21–16 edge in the all-time series with Catawba and won the most recent meeting on the road in October 2024 by a 3–1 margin.

The games will be available for streaming using FloSports and to follow via Live Stats with the links below.  

Friday, October 3rd @ Wingate 
Watch
Live Stats