Harrogate, TN - Lincoln Memorial men's volleyball picked up a gritty 3–2 win over Belmont Abbey on Friday night in Harrogate, surviving a true back-and-forth match that went the distance. The Railsplitters took the contest by set scores of 28–26, 25–20, 20–25, 19–25, 16–14, building a 2–0 lead before the Crusaders pushed back to force a fifth set. LMU finished the night with 61 kills and a .328 team hitting percentage, while Belmont Abbey totaled 55 kills and hit .322.

Lincoln Memorial set the tone early by winning a tight first set, 28–26, then carried that momentum into a strong second set, 25–20, to take a 2–0 advantage. Belmont Abbey answered with a pair of wins in the middle sets, taking set three 25–20 and set four 25–19, setting up a dramatic deciding frame.

Offensively, George Stevens led the way with 19 kills on an efficient .485 hitting percentage, while Axel van Baars added 17 kills, two aces, and a match-high 12 digs in an all-around performance. Johan Negron contributed 12 kills, and Oisin Walsh provided a steady presence at the net with seven kills and a team-best four blocks. Setter Roman Mahlerwein paced the offense with 50 assists, adding an ace and three blocks as LMU posted 54 assists in the match. Defensively, the Railsplitters finished with 40 digs and seven total blocks, helping LMU weather Belmont Abbey's rallies and keep the match within reach in the closing stretches of each set.

Belmont Abbey was led by Caden Day with 16 kills, while Zach Puentes chipped in 11 kills and three blocks. Jibriel Elhaddad was a factor at the net with four blocks, and setter Joseph Morris directed the Crusader attack with 39 assists while also recording five service aces and 10 digs.

The fifth set was tight throughout and came down to the final points. After Belmont Abbey pulled even late, Lincoln Memorial responded to create match point, and van Baars ended the match with a service ace to seal the win 16–14.

Lincoln Memorial returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m., hosting Thomas More University in Harrogate for Digs for Dogs.