Lady Splitters Sweep First Day of LMU Invitational

HARROGATE, TN – Despite a one game setback against Union College in the nightcap of Friday’s opening round of the LMU Invitational Volleyball Tournament, the Lincoln Memorial University Lady Railsplitters opened the 2006 season with two consecutive wins over Davis & Elkins College and Union College to improve to 2-0 on the year.

The day got started when Lincoln Memorial rolled over Davis & Elkins College in the opening match 30-12, 30-27, and 30-17 to kick-off the year.  Lady Railsplitter senior Joy Otto (Barrington, IL) and freshman Amanda Horencamp (Murfreesboro, TN) led the way with 10 kills each, while teammate Amber Vanderlin (Mesquite, TX) added 34 assists.

Defensively the Lady Railsplitters were led by junior Jency Basinger (Temecula, CA) who finished the match with 15 kills, while Vanderlin and Horencamp each added 10.

In their final match of the day, the Lady Railsplitters won the opening two games against Union College 30-16 and 30-26, before losing a tight battle in game-three by the score of 28-30.  The setback was enough to wake the sleeping giant, as the Lady Railsplitters took control early in the final game and cruised to a 30-19 win to capture their second victory of the year.

Otto again led the Lady Railsplitters with 11 kills, while Horencamp and freshman Alison Hess (Dayton, OH) recorded 10 apiece.  Defensively is where the LMU women won the match.  Four Lady Railsplitters found double figures in the digs category, with Horencamp leading the way with 19, Vanderlin and Basinger adding 15 each, and junior Blythe McCulley (Springfield, IL) contributing another 10.

With the first two matches under their belt and in the win column, the LMU women now prepare for Sunday’s finally outings against Ohio Valley University and the University of the Cumberlands.  The Lady Splitters play at 2:00 and 6:00 p.m. in the Mary E. Mars Gymnasium and admission is free to the public.

Lincoln Memorial def. Davis and Elkins 30-12,30-27,30-17

Davis and Elkins (0-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Ashlynn Nuckols
7-2-1; Becky Vance 7-0-0; Krystal Warden 6-0-1; Brittney Wilson 2-0-0;
Haley Snyder 2-3-0; Haley Dennison 1-0-0; Jennifer Pell 1-0-0; Megan
Bush 0-2-0; Totals 26-7-1.0. (Assists) - Megan Bush 12; Ashley Kelley
12. (Dig leaders) - Haley Snyder 11; Heidi Floyd 10; Krystal Warden 10

Lincoln Memorial (1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Joy Otto 10-0-2;
Amanda Horenkamp 10-4-0; Blythe McCulley 6-3-1; Jaclyn Dvorscak 5-0-0;
Amanda Baker 5-0-1; Alison Hess 4-1-1; Cami Lefeld 2-0-0; Amber
Vanderlin 2-4-0; Amanda Collins 1-0-0; Caitlin Hankins 0-1-0; Karlee
Wyrick 0-1-0; Totals 45-14-3.0. (Assists) - Amber Vanderlin 34. (Dig
leaders) - Jency Basinger 15; Amanda Horenkamp 10; Amber Vanderlin 10;
Blythe McCulley 8

Site: Harrogate, TN (Mars Gym)


Date: Aug 25, 2006   Attend: 110   Time: 1:15

Lincoln Memorial def. Union 30-16,30-26,28-30,30-19

Union (1-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Stephanie Pateman 15-2-0;
Marlee Cooper 13-0-2; Brooke Vinovich 9-0-1; Amanda Bowling 8-2-0;
Elisabeth Howard 5-0-0; Autumn Combs 2-0-2; Suzannah Behnken 0-1-0;
Christina Prindle 0-1-0; Totals 52-6-4.0. (Assists) - Amanda Bowling
32. (Dig leaders) - Amanda Bowling 18; Marlee Cooper 16; Stephanie
Pateman 11; Suzannah Behnken 9

Lincoln Memorial (2-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Joy Otto 11-0-4;
Amanda Horenkamp 10-3-0; Alison Hess 10-6-0; Blythe McCulley 9-2-1;
Cami Lefeld 7-0-0; Amber Vanderlin 7-2-0; Amanda Baker 5-0-1; Amanda
Collins 1-0-0; Caitlin Hankins 1-0-0; Jaclyn Dvorscak 1-0-0; Jency
Basinger 0-6-0; Totals 62-19-4.0. (Assists) - Amber Vanderlin 37. (Dig
leaders) - Amanda Horenkamp 19; Jency Basinger 15; Amber Vanderlin 15;
Blythe McCulley 10; Karlee Wyrick 9

Site: Harrogate, TN (Mars Gym)


Date: Aug 25, 2006   Attend: 120   Time: 1:45