The Lincoln University women's volleyball team played one of their more competitive matches of the past two weeks Wednesday night against University of the Sciences but continued to struggle closing out sets as the Devils handed the Lions their sixth straight setback 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-17) in Philadelphia.
 
Lincoln falls to 5-21 overall while USciences improves to 6-14.
 
Atarah Lindsey (Detroit, Mich./Romulus High School) led the Lions with ten kills while Mariah Russell (St Louis Mo./Maplewood Richmond Heights) added nine.  Shanna Kiung had 20 assists setting the Lion offense.  Defensively, Tierra Russaw (Westland, Mich./Summit Academy) had a match-high 17 digs.  Lindsey and Russell added nine apiece.  Gecinda Turner (West Philadelphia, PA/Academy Park) had three blocks.
 
Sciences led wire-to-wire in the first set, jumping out to an early 6-1 lead.  The Lions clawed their way back, closing within one 16-15 before the Devils strung together four straight points to push the lead to 20-15. Lincoln could get no closer than 21-18 as Sciences scored four of the final five points to win the set 25-19.
 
The second set was all Lincoln's until the end.   Russell opened the scoring with a kill  and Lindsey added two more in the early goings as the Lions jumped out to a 9-4 lead.  An 8-3 run by the Devils tied the game at 12-12 but Lincoln was holding firm, not giving up the lead.   An ace from Russaw put the Lions up 19-16 but again the Devils came back to tie.   A USciences service error gave Lincoln a 23-21 lead but the Lions couldn't hold on as the Devils scored four straight to come back and win the set 25-23.
 
The Devils jumped out to a 10-3 lead to open the third set and never looked back, again leading wire-to-wire as they took the set 25-17  and the match 3-0.  The Lions got as close as three at 14-11 but could come no closer the rest of the match.
 
The Lions are back in action for a home non-conference match with Felician College on Friday, November 4, 2016.  Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m.