The Lincoln University volleyball team dropped a straight-set decision (25-8, 25-22, 25-8) to Elizabeth City State University Thursday in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association action at Manuel Rivero Gymnasium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Elizabeth City State scored 16 of the first 19 points in the first set to secure the victory.
 
The second set was the most thrilling set of the match as the Lions pushed ECSU to the brink before the Vikings ended the set with five of the last six points.
 
ECSU once again took control of the contest early with 13 of the first 18 points. However, with freshman Haley Loper (Middletown, Del./St. Georges Technical) serving, Lincoln tallied six straight points. The Vikings seemingly stemmed the tide with four consecutive to build a six-point advantage.
 
Undeterred and buoyed by a raucous crowd, Lincoln tallied 10 of the next 13 points to take a one-point lead, and after a service error – the game was tied at 22. Unfortunately, ECSU tacked on the final three points to secure the victory.
 
Early runs highlighted the beginning of the third set as the Vikings scored the first five points and Lincoln responded with six straight of its own. Elizabeth City State scored 20 of the last 22 to seal the victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Lincoln recorded 11 of its 15 kills in the second set, hitting .152 for the set. It was the lone set the Lions had a positive hitting percentage.
• Junior Kaiya Lewis (Queens, N.Y./Queens Preparatory Academy) led the team with five kills on 14 attempts with three errors and one solo block. Freshmen Haley Loper (Middletown, Del./St. Georges Technical) and Erica Taylor (Romulus, MI/Romulus Summit Academy) added three kills each.
• Taylor added three service aces for the Lions.
• Junior Tatyana Charles (Easton, Pa./Eastern Area) and freshman Jaida Lumpkin (Middletown, Del./Middletown) had seven assists each for the Lions.

 
WHAT'S NEXT
Lincoln travels to Virginia Union 6 p.m. Monday for a CIAA match.