HICKORY, N.C. -- The Lenoir-Rhyne volleyball team earned a crucial 3-1 victory over Anderson on Wednesday night in the only action in the SAC. The win gives the Bears a season sweep of Anderson and secures the tiebreaker over the Trojans. A win on Saturday over Newberry would lock up a home game in the Quarterfinal of the SAC Tournament on Monday.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Anderson 1
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (17-8, 12-5 SAC), Anderson (20-6, 13-5 SAC)
Location: Shuford Arena
STATS OF THE MATCH:
- Lenoir-Rhyne overcame seven errors in the first set to grab a 25-21 victory and then caught fire in the second stanza. LR hit .444 as a team and took a 25-19 win to take the upperhand.
- Anderson came back with a 25-20 victory in the third and looked poised to send it to a fifth set. Anderson led 18-15 before a quick 3-0 spurt tied it up. Once again, Anderson surged ahead 23-20 and looked to close it out. The Bears scored four unanswered to make it 24-23 and converted on their third match point opportunity to get the win.
- Emmaleigh Allen had 14 kills and added eight digs and five blocks while hitting .300.
- Ashley Hawkins had 13 kills, including the game-winner, and aded six digs and a pair of service aces.
- Colette Romp and Emma Clark each had 10 kills with Clark hitting .344. Braelyn Faust added seven kills and six blocks.
- Mackenzie Hulsey handed out 46 assists and added nine digs and Bailey Carpenter led LR with 29 digs.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- The NCAA Regional rankings came out hours before first serve and had Anderson at No. 4 and Lenoir-Rhyne at No. 7.
- Hawkins is third in program history with 153 career service aces and third with 1,667 career digs. She needs 51 more digs to move into second place.
- Hulsey's 1,928 career assists have her 25 away from sixth place in program history.
- Anderson could have clinched second place in the division with a win either last night or tonight and went 0-2.
UP NEXT: LR will host Newberry for Senior Day on Saturday at 2 p.m. A win secures a home tournament contest on Monday and a loss would send the Bears on the road for the quarterfinals.