LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – The Lincoln University (Pa.) volleyball team earned its first victory of the season Saturday afternoon, defeating Cheyney University in a five-set thriller inside Manuel Rivero Hall.
The Lions prevailed 25-23, 20-25, 25-22, 20-25 and 15-10 to improve to 1-7 overall.
Inside the Numbers
Lincoln finished with a season-high 55 kills and hit .205 as a team, including a match-best .368 percentage in the fifth set. The Lions also held advantages in kills, 55-32, and assists, 46-30.
Lincoln produced a balanced offensive performance with four players recording at least 10 kills.
Elise Carter (Smyrna, DE/Smyrna HS) led the Lions with 11 kills and 10 digs for a double-double while hitting .300.
Audreynette Lydgate (Bowie, MD/Charles Herbert Flowers HS) and
Amira Billingsley (Glen Burnie, MD/) each finished with 10 kills, with Billingsley hitting .333.
Yvette Mercedes (Columbia, MD/) added nine kills on a .333 hitting percentage.
How it Happened
The Lions edged Cheyney in a tight opening set, 25-23, before the Wolves responded with a 25-20 victory in the second. Lincoln regained control in the third, using a late push to secure a 25-22 win and take a 2-1 advantage.
Cheyney forced a deciding set by winning the fourth, 25-20. With the fifth set tied at nine, Lincoln delivered its strongest stretch of the match. Billingsley started the decisive run with a kill before the Lions scored five consecutive points to build a 14-9 advantage.
Niana Coar (Aberdeen, MD/) sealed the victory with her eighth kill of the afternoon.
Charly Manley (Upper Marlboro, MD/Frederick Douglass HS) directed Lincoln's offense with 35 assists, seven digs and four kills.
Donavyn Morris (Chester, PA/) contributed 12 digs, six assists and four service aces, while Carter added 10 digs. Coar also recorded four aces and seven digs, and
Liani Figueroa (Brooklyn,NY/) supplied three aces.
Up Next
The Lions will travel to Raleigh, North Carolina to face Shaw University on Monday, September 21st. Match time is set for 6:00 p.m.
