PEMBROKE, N.C. -- The Lenoir-Rhyne Volleyball Team erased a 2-1 deficit to come back and defeat UNC Pembroke 3-2 on Thursday night in their second road contest in three days. The Bears were paced by a double-double from Emmaleigh Allen with 19 kills and 12 digs and a career high 44 assists from Sydney Karjala.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:

Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, UNC Pembroke 2
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (7-3), UNCP (4-5)
Location: Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court

STATS OF THE MATCH:

• The Bears won their three sets in mostly lopsided fashion. LR won the first set 25-9, the fourth 25-16 and the fifth 15-9. 
• In the first set, LR hit .394 with 15 kills as they got off to a hot start. However, the Braves would rally with identical 25-19 victories in sets two and three.
• In the fourth, the Bears forced UNCP into seven attack errors on their way to a 25-16 win to set up a winner-take-all fifth set.
• The Bears stormed out of the gate hot and never looked back. LR scored the first four points of the fifth set as three different players recorded a kill and Allen produced a service ace.
• Pembroke would never get closer than four points in the final set as the Bears took the clincher 15-9.
• Aasia McNeill notched a double-double of her own with 12 kills and 15 digs and Karjala added 12 digs to her 44 helpers. 
• Cheyenne Clonch had 11 kills and hit .409 and Lyndsie Warren had 19 digs and a career-high nine assists. 

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• This was the second five-set victory for LR this season.
• The Bears improve to 25-12 under second year head coach Nicole Barringer.
• LR had two wins in five sets a year ago.
• Allen entered play as the SAC leader in kills/set at 3.47 and improved that number to 3.51 with tonight's performance.
• LR is a perfect 4-0 against Conference Carolinas foes this season.

UP NEXT: LR will conclude a seven-game road swing with a trip to Mars Hill on Saturday. First serve is set for 3:30 p.m.