Despite the 2022 Lincoln volleyball season coming to end with a straight-set loss to the Northern Division co-champion Shaw, the Lions displayed the future is bright for them as they were able to push the Bears to the brink in each set.

Lincoln ultimately fell the SU, 25-22, 25-19, 25-20, but the Lions held leads midway through each of the first two sets.

The Lions opened the match by scoring 10 of the first 14 points, and had a lead as big as seven points (13-6), before Shaw gradually mounted a comeback that was completed with five consecutive points to take its first lead at 20-19. While Lincoln was able to pull even (22-22), the Bears closed out the first set with three straight.

In the second set, the teams matched scoring runs as LU scored – at one point – nine of 10 points, including five straight for the 14-7 lead. Shaw immediately answered with seven straight to pull even. The Bears finished the set by scoring 10 of the final 13 points.

The proverbial shoe was on the other foot in the third set as LU fell 11-4 early, and the deficit grew to as much as 20-11 before the Lions attempted to mount a comeback. The deficit shrunk to four, but Shaw did enough to hold off Lincoln.

Sophomore Haley Loper (Middletown, Del./St. Georges Technical) led the team with one of her best hitting performances of the season with nine kills on 21 attempts and just two errors for a .333 hitting percentage. In her final collegiate match, senior Jasmin Lewis (Baltimore, Md./Western) added seven kills on 17 attempts with three errors (.235 hitting percentage).

Sophomore Jaida Lumpkin (Middletown, Del./Middletown) finished with a double-double on 12 assists and 11 digs, while freshman Janaa Smith (Rochester, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy) added 12 assists.

Sophomore Mariah Webster (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech/) led the team with 19 digs, and freshman Laila Newborn (Ardmore, Pa./Lower Merion) contributed three block assists.

Lincoln finished the season 5-18 overall, 1-13 CIAA. The five victories are the most wins in a season for the Lions since the seven-win 2016 season.