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Lenoir-Rhyne University Athletics

Emmaleigh Allen
1
Tusculum Tusc 7-12,5-8 SAC
3
Winner Lenoir-Rhyne LRU 16-5,10-3 SAC
Tusculum Tusc
7-12,5-8 SAC
1
Final
3
Lenoir-Rhyne LRU
16-5,10-3 SAC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Tusculum Tusc 38 20 10 21 (1)
Lenoir-Rhyne LRU 36 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Joel Krenz, Assistant AD for Media and Communications

Lenoir-Rhyne picks up fourth straight victory in 3-1 win over Tusculum

HICKORY, N.C. - Tusculum made them work for it, but the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears won 3-1 over the visiting Pioneers on Tuesday night. After falling 38-36 in a marathon opening set, the Bears rattled off three straight set victories to win the match. 

Kayli Cleaver led the way with 18 kills while Emmaleigh Allen had a double-double of 11 kills and 12 digs. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Tusculum 1
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (16-5, 10-3 SAC), Tusculum (7-12, 5-8 SAC)
Location: Hickory, N.C. I Shuford Arena

STORY OF THE MATCH: 
  • Tusculum came out firing, going up 6-2 on the home side early.
  • Lenoir-Rhyne used a Kayli Cleaver kill and a Lola Nolasco and Emmie Modlin block to take a 17-15 lead. 
  • The Pioneers re-took the lead at 22-20 before a 4-0 run from the Bears gave them set point at 24-22. 
  • Tusculum battled back, taking a 25-24 lead before back a kill from Cleaver tied things up at 25-25. 
  • Both teams had five separate set points before Tusculum went on a 3-0 run to win the set 38-36.
  • Much like the first set, the second set was close throughout, with the teams tied at 17-17 late.
  • Leading 21-20, the Bears went on a 4-0 run to win the set, capped off by a Cleaver block.
  • The Bears dominated set three, going up 7-2 and never looking back, winning 25-10.
  • Tusculum kept it close in the fourth, even taking an 18-17 lead, but Lenoir-Rhyne was just too much, scoring eight of the game's final 11 points to take the match.
  • The Bears hit .231 in the game, compared to .098 from the Pioneers. 
  • Sydney Karjala and Alicia Barbarito combined for 47 assists.
  • Hadley Prince finished with 28 digs, just one shy of a career high.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
  • The Bears are now 26-35 all-time against Tusculum, winning the last two games.
  • Last year's win came in the first round of the SAC tournament.
  • The opening set was the longest in the Barringer era here at LR.
  • Kayli Cleaver is second in the SAc in kills (246) while Averie Dale is second in hitting % (.378) and blocks/set (1.03).
  • Lenoir-Rhyne sits at third in the conference standings, just behind Anderson. 
  • Wingate holds on to the top spot and are 14-0 in SAC play and 21-1 overall. 
UP NEXT: In an interesting schedule quirk the Bears next opponent will be these same Pioneers, just in on the road. This Friday Lenoir-Rhyne travel to Greeneville, Tennessee, to face Tusculum at 6:00 p.m. This won't be an easy task as the Pioneers haven't lost to the Bears at home since September of 2016. 
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