Barbosa leads Lions with 13 kills versus Lincoln Memorial

HARROGATE, Tenn. - The Mars Hill volleyball team (14-11, 8-9 SAC) fell in four sets to Lincoln Memorial (15-7, 11-5 SAC) on the road Friday evening.

The Lions dictated played early in the first set, winning 10 of the first 13 points.  They would hold the lead until the score was at 17-12 for the Lions.  The Railsplitters then won six straight points to take their first lead in the match since the opening point.  The teams would battle back and forth until the score was 20-all.  The Lions would claim the next two points, but a five point run from Lincoln Memorial completed the Railsplitters' come from behind attempt to take the first set by a score of 25-22.

Lincoln Memorial won the first six points of the second set and eight of the first 10 to build a six point lead over the Lions.  Despite the Lions pulling within one late in the set by a score of 18-17, the Railsplitters maintained their lead and closed out the set, 25-19, never trailing in the second frame.

The third set was a tightly contested affair with the teams tied at 10 before Mars Hill won six of the next seven points to go up 16-11.  Closing out the set after trading points with Lincoln Memorial, the Lions cut the deficit to 2-1 in the match.  A kill and two service aces from Elizabeth Kaeser were key for the Lions taking the third set in the latter stages of the stanza.

With the set tied at five, the Railsplitters reeled off six of the next seven points to go up 10-6 and would not look back.  Leading 15-9 late in the set, Lincoln Memorial won 10 of the last 15 points to close out the match, 25-14.

Lindsey Nartker led the Railsplitters with 13 kills and added 16 digs for the double-double.  Kai Wesemann and Tone Gill each had 10 kills.  Erica Whiteaker had a game-high 47 digs and Emily Walter had 43 of Lincoln Memorial's 51 assists.

Dayanna Barbosa led the Lions with 13 kills and hit a team-high .265.  Kaeser ended the contest with nine kills, 25 digs and three aces.  Sara Pasour had 23 assists and Sally Anne Johnson added four blocks.

Mars Hill travels to Hartsville, South Carolina on Sunday afternoon to take on Coker.  First serve is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.