Volleyball Stays Perfect in Conference Play with Win at Lenoir-Rhyne

Volleyball Stays Perfect in Conference Play with Win at Lenoir-Rhyne

HICKORY, N.C. – With three players reaching double-figure kills, the Anderson University volleyball team extended its win streak to eight matches with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-22) South Atlantic Conference win over Lenoir-Rhyne, Tuesday night at Shuford Gymnasium.

"I was very pleased with our effort tonight on offense," said Anderson head coach Todd Hay. "We weren't always putting Connie in the best of positions to set, but she and the hitters made some amazing plays. Anytime you can get a win in Shuford Gymnasium, it's a great feeling. "

Anderson (12-1, 3-0 SAC) won its eighth consecutive decision, while defeating the Bears for the fifth straight time. Lenoir-Rhyne dropped to 7-2 overall and 1-1 in the SAC with its second straight setback.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Sophomore outside hitter Kaitlyn Grube led all players with 14 kills, while sophomore Hailee Wilhelm added 11 kills on the strength of a .429 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Jayln Knight notched her fifth double-double of the season with 11 digs and 10 kills, while hitting .526 on the night. Junior setter Emily Conlin handed out 42 assists and recorded a pair of service aces, while redshirt freshman Hannah Worsham garnered three block assists. Freshman libero Meghan DeVaux recorded a match-high 16 digs, with senior Megan Embry adding 12 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
The first frame was tied five times early, with Grube sandwiching a pair of kills around a kill from Worsham to cap a 4-0 run and give AU its first lead, at 10-7.

Later, with AU clinging to a 12-11 edge, Knight fueled a 10-3 scoring outburst by the Trojans that resulted in an eight-point advantage - their largest of the set. Wilhelm capped the surge with a pair of kills and after the Bears trimmed AU's lead to five, Grube and sophomore Regan Duty finished off the win with back-to-back kills.

Second Set
With Conlin serving, the Trojans scored the first five points of the set and never looked back, as they steadily built a 14-5 advantage.

Lenoir-Rhyne was unable to get any closer than five, as the Trojans opened a late double-digit, 23-13, cushion and closed the frame on an ace from sophomore Christina Stacy.

Third Set
The final set featured seven ties, but only one lead change, as Lenoir-Rhyne scored the first two points of the frame.

The Bears doubled up AU early, at 8-4, but Knight posted three kills during a 5-1 run to knot the score for the third time, at nine apiece. However, L-R responded by scoring five unanswered points before the Trojans again battled back to even the score at 15-15.

AU capitalized on a late 4-1 surge to take its first lead (21-20) and with the score even at 22 apiece, Grube and Knight knocked down back-to-back kills and Worsham clinched the win with a block.

ANDERSON STAT OF THE NIGHT
The Trojans' .353 hitting percentage was the third-highest of the season.

NOTABLES
• The Trojans finished their nonconference slate with a 9-1 record.
• AU is off to the fastest start in program history, surpassing the 2004 team.
• The Trojans improved to 4-0 in true road contests.

UP NEXT
Anderson returns home for a brief one-match homestand when Carson-Newman invades the Abney Athletic Center on Saturday. First-serve versus the Eagles is slated for 1 p.m.