Seaside, CA – Women's volleyball dropped both contests on the opening day of the Otter Bay Invitational, falling to 0–2, and will look to bounce back with two matches scheduled for tomorrow.
The Lady Railsplitters fought hard in their season-opening match at the Otter Bay Invitational but came up just short in a five-set battle against Westminster on Friday afternoon. After dropping the first set with a slow start marked by attack and service errors, the Railsplitters responded with grit, taking the second and third frames behind standout performances from Kaytlin Johnson and Lauren Pickett. Johnson led the way with a match-high 18 kills, including the clincher in the third set, while Pickett sparked rallies at the service line with four aces. Westminster, however, rallied late, narrowly beating LMU in a tight fourth set before pulling away in the decisive fifth to secure a 3–2 victory. Despite the loss, LMU showed resilience and balance, with Sarah Robbins adding eight kills and three blocks, and Carley Raleigh dishing out 24 assists.
Lincoln Memorial battled hard in its second match of the Otter Bay Invitational but ultimately fell in straight sets to Seattle Pacific on Friday evening. After dropping a tight opening frame 25–20, the Railsplitters struggled to find rhythm in the second, as SPU pulled away early for a 25–15 win. LMU showed fight in the third, building a late lead behind the strong play of Laney Inman, who finished with a team-high 11 kills, and Kaytlin Johnson, who added eight kills and a service ace. However, the Falcons rallied down the stretch to edge LMU 27–25 and complete the sweep. Lauren Jacob anchored the defense with 16 digs and added two aces, while Carley Raleigh and Lauren Pickett combined for 29 assists in the effort.
Lincoln Memorial falls to 0–2 to start the season and will look to regroup on Saturday, September 6, with two more opportunities at the Otter Bay Invitational. The Railsplitters face Dominican University of California at 1 p.m. before wrapping up the tournament in a 5 p.m. matchup against host California State University Monterey Bay.
