MARS HILL, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne women's volleyball team returned to action after having a week off, traveling to Mars Hill for their first road conference game of the 2026 season. LR started slow to open the match and had to came back from a 11-3 deficit to win the first set. They then cruised to a 25-17 victory in the second set before finishing the sweep off in 28-26 fashion in the third.
Emmaleigh Allen continued her hot start to her senior year with her second game of the season with 15 kills.
Rachael Chambers added 11 kills while
Addison Vary reached double-digit in kills for the first time this season with 10.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Mars Hill 0 (25-23, 25-17, 28-26)
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (4-2, 2-0 SAC), Mars Hill (6-4 1-1 SAC)
Location: Mars Hill, N.C. I Chambers Gymnasium
STORY OF THE MATCH:
- A very slow start by the Bears saw Mars Hill storm out to an 11-3 lead in the opening set. The Bears got the ship heading in the right direction later in the set as they battled back to tie the game at 19-19.
- With the score tied at 23-23 in the first set, LR took their first lead after an attack error by Mars Hill. An Addison Vary kill gave LR the hard fought first set 25-23.
- After a set where LR only led for the last two points, they never trailed in the second set and cruised to a 25-17 win.
- The third set was close for a while as Mars Hill tied it at 13-13 before another kill from Emmaleigh Allen and an service ace from Sydney Karjala give LR two quick points to take a 15-13 lead.
- Mars Hill did not go down lightly as the Lions were down 24-18 and fought off six game points to tie the set at 24-24.
- LR finally finished the sweep of with back-to-back errors by Mars Hill and took the set 28-26.
STATS OF THE MATCH:
- Emmaleigh Allen led the Bears in kills with 15. Allen has at least 12 kills in all but one game this season.
- Allen also had a team high 15 digs as well.
- Rachael Chambers had 11 kills on the night and now has 29 kills in her first two SAC games of the year.
- Addison Vary was one off her career high tonight with 10 kills.
- There was only three blocks in the game tonight by the two teams as LR only had a single block.
- LR hit .279 on the night, including .500 in the second set.
- Alicia Barbarito had 22 assists while Ella Scott added 19.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- Allen crossed the 950 kill mark today with her 15 kills tonight.
- Allen also is now at 898 career digs in her career.
- Chambers now has back to back games with double digit kills to open SAC play.
- Bears have won five in a row against Mars Hill after tonight's sweep.
- After tomorrow's game at Tusculum, LR will play six straight home games to close the month of September out.
UP NEXT: Lenoir-Rhyne will continue this weekend with a trip to Tusculum tomorrow afternoon. The Pioneers lost a heart breaker tonight in five sets to Catawba, falling to 4-3 on the season and 1-2 in the SAC. First serve is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. from Greeneville, Tennessee.
