HICKORY, N.C. –
Colette Romp had a career day on her 21st birthday to lead the Lenoir-Rhyne Volleyball team to a 3-1 win over Carson-Newman in the SAC Quarterfinals on Tuesday evening. The win wraps up a perfect 10-0 season inside Shuford Gym, the first perfect season at home in team history.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Carson-Newman 1
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (20-7) | Carson-Newman (18-14)
Location: Shuford Gymnasium
STATS OF THE MATCH:
- Carson-Newman ran out to a first-set win thanks to a scorching .458 hitting percentage as a team.
- The second set was back-and-forth until LR took a 24-21 lead. However, the Eagles stormed back to take a 25-24 advantage.
- LR would stave off two set points and close the match on a 3-0 spurt to take the 28-26 decision.
- It was an even third set with the score being tied at 12, 13, 14, 17 and 21. However, the Bears would surge ahead 23-21 before a C-N kill. Romp and Taylor Prall collected back-to-back kills to seal the win and put the Bears up 2-1.
- LR jumped out to a 15-6 lead in the fourth set and never looked back en route to a 25-14 clincher.
- Prall finished with 17 kills and added nine digs and Rachel Bewick had 20 digs for the Bears.
- Enmma Clark tallied 12 kills and seven blocks while Alannah Thomas had 10 kills.
- Mackenzie Hulsey shattered a career-high with 55 assists, topping her previous mark of 40.
- Erin Edwards led Carson-Newman with 21 kills of her own and hit .409. Julia Wheeler had 16 kills and 18 digs.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- LR earned their 20th win of the season, the first 20-win campaign since 2015.
- The win was also the first for the Bears in the SAC Tournament since 2015.
- Romp had 15 of her 19 kills in the final two sets. Her previous career-high was 14 kills.
- This is the 1,498th all-time match in program history.
- LR has won 13 straight at home dating back to the spring season, the longest streak in program history.
UP NEXT: LR advances to take on Tusculum in the SAC Semifinal on Friday at 4 p.m. The game will take place in Rock Hill, S.C.