Volleyball Takes Down LMU In Five-Set Battle

SALISBURY, N.C. – The Catawba College volleyball team got 32 combined kills from Ashley Johnson, Hayes Smith, and Lauren Bodell in a 19-25, 25-17, 13-25, 25-22, 15-9 come-from-behind victory at Goodman Gymnasium on Thursday night. 

Wednesday night's contest had 17 ties and six lead changes in a hard-fought battle that went the distance. 

Catawba dropped the first set after they struggled to gain traction offensively. The Lady Indians committed 12 errors on the attack which allowed the Railsplitters to take the opening set. 

The home team locked in during set two and exploded for a .393 hitting percentage and only committed two errors in the frame. LMU held a 5-3 lead early in the set, but Catawba embarked on a 5-1 run to go ahead 8-5. The Lady Indians never looked back and remained in front the rest of the way. The home team ended the set by scoring five of the last six points to secure a 25-17 win. 

Lincoln Memorial made some defensive adjustments and again forced Catawba to commit double-digit attacking errors in the third stanza. Catawba got out to a 3-0 lead to start, but the Railsplitters came back to take a 6-5 lead. After Catawba tied the score at 6 apiece, LMU outscored the Lady Indians 8-2 over the next ten points to charge ahead 14-8. Lincoln Memorial stayed in command and ended the game on a 11-5 swing to send the game to the fourth set. 

Both offenses peaked in set four as both sides hit over .280. The turning point came when Catawba clung to a one-point lead at 14-13 before storming ahead behind five unanswered points. Ashley Johnson and Rachel Gonzales had kills and Christina Knotts notched a service ace to fuel the momentum swing. LMU gave Catawba a scare by going on a 5-0 run of their own to tie the game at 21-21 late. The home team sealed the deal by recording the next four of five points to send the game to a decisive fifth set. 

Momentum was on Catawba's side and it showed in the final frame. Catawba scored their first three points on errors committed by LMU, and Katie Clark and Ashley Johnson slammed home kills to bring the set to a 5-5 tie. Johnson's game-tying kill sparked a 7-1 tear that allowed the Lady Indians to take a commanding 11-6 lead. Catawba did not look back and won the fifth set, 15-9. 

Wednesday's win ended a seven game losing skid, and the team's 13 total blocks in the game was the most all season. 

The women's volleyball team will have a quick turnaround as they travel to UVA-Wise for a 7:00 p.m. SAC matchup.