AIKEN, S.C. - Lander split their first two games of the PBC/SAC Crossover Friday. The Bearcats defeated Carson-Newman 3-2 in their first match but fell to Lincoln Memorial 3-2 in the nightcap.    

vs. Carson-Newman

The Eagles won the first set narrowly 25023, but the Bearcats responded to win the second set 25-18. The two teams split the next two set to set up a winner take all fifth set. Lander and Carson-Newman battled back and forth in the final set, with neither team leading by more than one point for the first half of the set. With the score tied at five, Maya Walker would pick up a kill from Madilyn Reed to break the tie and ignite a 5-0 run for the Bearcats. A block by Daria De Carvalho Peixe and Olivia Dow ended the set and gave Lander a 15-7 win.  

Christina Aguayo led all players with 23 kills, while De Carvalho Peixe and Walker added 15 and 14. Madilyn Reed dished out a season-high 60 assists to go along with 22 digs. Patricia Pantoja finished with a game-high 27 digs.  

vs. Lincoln Memorial

The Railsplitters took the first and second sets 25-22 and 26-24 to jump out to a 2-0 lead. The Bearcats responded by winning the third and fourth sets 25-20 and 25-14. Lincoln Memorial would take the final set 15-6 to get the win. 

Walker had 14 kills to lead Lander, while Dow added 13, and Aguayo had 10. Reed had her second double-double of the day with 44 assists and 26 digs while also finishing with three aces. Pantoja had 33 digs and three aces for the Bearcats.  

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