ANDERSON, S.C. – With three players reaching double-figure kills, the Anderson University volleyball team knocked off defending South Atlantic Conference Tournament Champion Lenoir-Rhyne for the second time this season, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19), Friday night at the Abney Athletic Center.

Anderson improved to 14-11 overall and 10-7 in the league with its fifth win in the last seven outings and swept the season series with Lenoir-Rhyne (7-15, 5-10), which has dropped two straight and three of four.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Rachel Burts led all players with 16 kills, with junior Marissa Mitter adding a dozen kills and 13 digs. Freshman Kathryn Hughes tallied 11 kills, while freshman setter Emily Conlin recorded a career-high eight kills, handed out 50 assists and came up with 15 digs. Sophomore Emily Conard posted a match-high 27 digs and handed out six assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
Anderson posted a stellar .432 hitting percentage and five unanswered points midway through the frame lifted the Trojans to a lead they would not relinquish.

Mitter posted back-to-back kills to trigger the decisive run and senior Allison Gaminde capped the surge with a pair of kills, as the Trojans snapped a 9-9 deadlock with five straight points. The Bears countered with three consecutive points of their own t climb within three, but AU continued the outburst and closed the set with a 9-4 run.

Second Set
The second frame featured nine ties, but just two lead changes as a late surge lifted the Trojans to the six-point win. Anderson jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead, but Lenoir-Rhyne chipped away and took its first lead at 7-6. The set was tied eight more times before Hughes sparked a 9-3 run by knocking down her third kill of the set to break a 16-16 deadlock.

Third Set
The Trojans reeled off four consecutive points to start the set, but Lenoir-Rhyne countered with five straight points to close the frame. After Conlin's third service ace of the frame gave AU a narrow 11-8 edge, the Bears answered with an 8-1 outburst to claim a four-point advantage. AU battled back to knot the score at 18 apiece on an ace from sophomore Jayln Knight and pushed out to a 22-20 lead, but Lenoir-Rhyne answered with a 5-0 run to claim the win.

Fourth Set
AU scored the first four points of the set and never trailed en route to the six-point victory.

ANDERSON STAT OF THE NIGHT
Conlin's eight kills were a career-best, her 50 assists equaled her third-highest tally of the season and her 15 digs were the fourth-highest of the campaign.

NOTABLES
• Mitter has posted 14 double-doubles this season.
• Mitter has averaged more than 13 kills over the last three contests.
• Mitter has reached double-figure kills on 18 occasions, including each of the last three outings.
• Burts has recorded double-figure kills in 10 matches this season, including nine of the last 11.
• Freshman Kathryn Hughes has averaged 7.5 kills per match over the last eight contests, while reaching double-figure kills in five matches on the year.
• Emily Conlin has posted at least 30 assists in 20 matches this season and has reached the 40+ assist plateau on a dozen occasions.
• Conlin has five straight double-doubles and 13 on the season.
• Emily Conard has recorded double-figure digs in 23 contests this season, including five straight and 18 of the Trojans' last 19.

UP NEXT
Anderson will get back on the court Saturday for a noon showdown with Brevard at the Abney Center.