MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Two program records were set as LeTourneau volleyball took two matches in the Rhodes College Classic on Friday. The YellowJackets began the day with a dominant three-set sweep of Moravian (25-19, 25-16, 25-9), followed by a four-set conquest of the hosts, Rhodes (25-22, 21-25, 25-22, 25-13).  

LeTourneau improves to 3-3 on the season, while Moravian moves to 2-4 and Rhodes to 3-1, respectively. 

On most days, going 2-0 would be enough. However, two LeTourneau players had something else in store. It was not just something to aid in the win column, but something that will live on for many years after their careers are over.

Libero Morgan Nix entered the day needing 10 digs to break Alli Bordelon's program record for career digs, while her teammate, setter Reina Lawson, needed six service aces to pass Cari Anson Hall on the program career aces list.

It did not take Nix long, as she racked up 29 digs in the first match, smashing the previous record of 1582 digs.  After another 27 digs in the second match, Nix, the graduate student from Cypress, Texas, now stands alone with 1628 career digs, an incredible accomplishment for one of LeTourneau's most incredibly accomplished athletes. 

Lawson, a Jacket legend in her own right, had to wait a little longer for her time to cement her place in LeTourneau athletics history. After tying the service aces record in the Moravian match, Lawson, the senior from Jarrell, Texas, got a serve to fall in the second set of the Rhodes match, earning her record-setting 146th service ace and her rightful place in LeTourneau volleyball lore.

Logan Lear added to the excitement by setting her season-high in kills (11) in the Moravian match, while Hannah Payan paced the squad in kills in the Rhodes match with 13. Lawson (42) and Grace Talkington (21) led in assists, while Allison Smith helped the defense with eight blocks.

The YellowJackets were in firm control during the Moravian match, as the margin of victory in each set became larger and larger throughout, ending with a commanding 25-9 set three victory punctuated by an Allison Smith service ace and a Dylan Presley kill.

The Rhodes match was tougher sledding, but LeTourneau proved resilient, taking two of the first three sets by a combined six points. However, the fourth set proved to be a different story as the YellowJackets caught fire and ran off 12 straight points to take an insurmountable 21-4 lead at one point, coasting to a 25-13 win.

For Moravian, Jenna Degan and Gabbie Reghner tied for the team best in kills (5) and digs (13), while Sam Love had 13 digs. For Rhodes, Yzzi Dsamou had a 14 kills, Emma Clark had 21 assists and four aces, and Olivia Wiseman had 18 digs, all team-high marks.

UP NEXT

LeTourneau finishes up the Rhodes College Classic with two more matches on Saturday. The first is against Elmhurst at 2 p.m., followed by a contest against Millsaps at 4 p.m.

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