Harrogate, Tenn. – The 2019 season opener for Tiger volleyball went to their NCAA Division II opponent in Lincoln Memorial University as the Railsplitters won 3-0 Friday night.
 
The first set was the closest of the match as the lead didn't grow to more than a point throughout most of the set. LMU pulled out the set win 25-22 as they finished the period on a 5-0 run after the Tigers were up 22-20.
 
A match that was difficult on the attack for the Tigers, the quality over quantity night from Nils Kleinschmidt stood out for CU. Kleinschmidt hit for a .667 hitting percentage with four kills, a block assist and three service aces to lead the team.
 
As a team, CU only hit for a .039 hitting percentage as they had four players with a negative percentage for the match. Rafael Cruz led the Tigers with seven kills but had eight attack error in his team-leading 22 attacks.
 
The length up front played a big factor for the Railsplitters as they recorded eight blocks against CU compared to only one for the Tigers throughout the entire match. Pedro Carvalho was the top blocker for LMU as he recorded a solo block and four assists in the match.
 
LMU won the second and third sets by the same score at 25-15, capitalizing on early leads taken after early scoring runs. A 5-0 and 4-0 run helped the Railsplitters get up to a 10-5 lead in the second and a 5-0 run in the middle of the third pulled their lead to 13-6.
 
The Tigers will have a quick turnaround as they will get back in the gym tomorrow to face Belmont Abbey College, another NCAA Division II opponent, at LMU.