by Erika Plunkett | Feb 12, 2021 | News, News Slider, Sports
A normal start date is about the only normal thing for the 2021 Lipscomb University softball team. After having their season cut short one year ago, Coach Ryman and her players have had to adjust to a totally different world filled with new COVID restrictions and obstacles to playing the sport they love. “If I would have guessed last year mid-March when all this started initially, I would have thought we would have been done for a couple of weeks, and then they would try to pick back up with things,” said head coach Kristin Ryman. “No one ever envisioned it would be what it has turned into with the pandemic.” The pandemic has wreaked havoc on all facets of life forcing everyone to reshape their outlook on life. “Every day we are out here is a good day,” said Ryman. “Let’s practice that way, let’s enjoy what we do, let’s get to know each other, and take every day as a blessing right now. That’s the biggest thing, but knowing too preparation-wise at a moment’s notice someone could go down and not be a starter anymore. So, for all of the other girls that are working really hard behind them, [they need to be] working every day as if they could be the starter every day.” Although Covid caused many problems for the Lady Bisons, the shortened 2020 season did allow their young roster to mature by getting real game experience that did not count against their collegiate eligibility. “I think a lot of those girls got some key time last year and in a sense looking back...
by Erika Plunkett | Jan 30, 2021 | BREAKING NEWS, News, News Slider, Sports
Friday morning the ASUN conference announced the arrival of three new teams, Eastern Kentucky, Central Arkansas, and Jacksonville State, as well as the addition of NCAA FCS football to the sports offered by the conference. All three teams will join the conference in the 2021-2022 school year and will bring the total enrollment to 12 teams in the ASUN. “When a conference embarks on a mission to strengthen itself through expansion, it has to present a case for why a membership with one conference would be more beneficial to the institution than membership in its current conference,” ASUN Commissioner Ted Gumbart said in a release from the conference. “The ASUN spent two years examining and defining its advantages and then presenting interested candidates with the option to join. Every institution will select the best option for conference affiliation from the available options. Each institution owes it to the student body, the athletic department and the university community as a whole to do what is best for the university. The ASUN works extremely hard to build options. To know that these three institutions have evaluated their options, and knowing each had multiple choices for conference affiliation and that they chose the ASUN is a great achievement. The ASUN Presidents’ Council set this process in place years ago when the Council members challenged the conference to be a great destination, and that would attract new member interest. The plan has worked and we are thankful for the visionary leadership of our Council to prioritize the student-athlete experience and the institutional value of being a member of the ASUN.” Jacksonville State is...
by Erika Plunkett | Jan 29, 2021 | News, News Slider, Sports
In their first matchup since 2007, Lipscomb defeated the UAB Blazers, for the first time ever, in a three-set sweep Friday afternoon and continued their winning streak in game one of a doubleheader between the Blazers and the Bisons. Following their sweep of MTSU last weekend Lipscomb secured all three ASUN weekly awards, with senior outside hitter Megan Kuper winning Player of the Week, freshman middle blocker Meg Mersman winning Defensive Player of the Week, and freshman setter Delaney Dilfer winning Freshman of the Week. Kuper, Mersman, and Dilfer continued their hot streak against the Blazers putting up a combined 14 kills, seven blocks, three aces, 13 digs, and 31 assists. Meanwhile, UAB came into the night with an 0-1 record, after suffering a loss in November 2020 against WKU before their fall season was cut short by COVID. Following the two-month pause, UAB started off slowly in the match and quickly fell behind. Lipscomb, however, started off on a hot streak winning the first set of the match 25-15, behind six kills from junior outside hitter Lanie Wagner. But the second set started in favor of the Blazers until Lipscomb went on a 9-0 run served by freshman libero Delaney Smith. While the Blazers kept the third set close, trading the lead with the Bisons six times, it was Lipscomb who would finally pull away and complete the three-game sweep. Despite the loss, Fernanda Maida finished the night with 11 kills, five blocks, and five digs, leading the way for the Blazers. Lipscomb travels down to Birmingham tomorrow afternoon to continue the doubleheader matchup against UAB before traveling...
by Erika Plunkett | Jan 25, 2021 | News Slider, Sports
It’s been 441 days and one full calendar year since the last Lipscomb Volleyball game in Allen Arena, but Sunday afternoon, the Lady Bisons were finally able to return to Don Meyer court and kick off their home campaign with a 3-1 victory over the MTSU Blue Raiders. After COVID-19 delayed fall NCAA sports and all of the LUV team spent 28 days in quarantine, conducting team meetings and workouts via zoom in their isolated rooms, Lipscomb’s volleyball season seemed in jeopardy. But, head coach Brandon Rosenthal and his team persevered and are now getting to reap the rewards of their hard work and patience over this extended off-season. Although COVID-19 caused a number of problems for Lipscomb, the hardships brought this team together, producing the tightest knit group that the team has seen in a while. This team chemistry allowed the Lady Bisons to win in dominating fashion this weekend. Sunday’s matchup was part of a doubleheader that began on Friday afternoon in Murfreesboro, where the Bisons walked away with a 3-0 win. Sunday the Lady Bisons also got off to a quick start winning the first set 25-8, but it was the Blue Raiders who came out strong in the second set and evened the match at 1-1, capitalizing on a number of attack errors from the Bisons. In sets three and four, Lipscomb’s Kuper and senior middle blocker Samantha Rubal, who each netted 16 kills on the afternoon, proved to be too much for the Blue Raiders, who weren’t able to keep their momentum from the second set. Other key contributors for the Lady Bisons were...
by Erika Plunkett | Dec 29, 2020 | News Slider, Sports
It was a homecoming on Rocky Top Monday night when former Tennessee Lady Vols Lauren Sumski and Ariel Massengale returned to the Summitt leading their Lipscomb Lady Bisons against Tennessee. However, it was the hometown Lady Vols who won this matchup 77-52. Early turnovers kept the game scoreless until Tennessee finally got a jumper to go with eight minutes left in the first quarter. Lipscomb was able to respond with a shot down low from junior center Dorie Harrison, but it was the Lady Vols who went into the media break with a 10-2 lead. Coming back from the break Lipscomb was able to get back into the game off of three-pointers from sophomore guard Jalyn Holcomb and freshman guard Jordan Peete, but Tennessee’s size allowed them to regain control of the game leading at the end of the first quarter 26-11, while out-rebounding the Lady Bisons 15-5. Lipscomb’s scoring drought a free-throw broke from Holcomb and a three-pointer by Peete — meanwhile, the Lady Bisons’ defense held Tennessee to their own scoring drought lasting for over 5 minutes. Still, Tennessee took a 36-19 lead into the second half. Senior forward Taylor Clark started the second half off with a three-pointer, but the Lady Vols went on an 11-0 run to take control of the game. The Bisons biggest loss was not on the scoreboard after the final whistle, but during the third quarter when Harrison went down after being hit in the head by a Lady Vol shoulder. Tennessee led by as many as 33 in the fourth quarter clearing their bench and getting the big non-conference win...
