Lynchburg, Va. -- University of Lynchburg's volleyball team split a pair of Old Dominion Athletic Conference matches, both by 3-1 scores Saturday afternoon inside Turner Gym.

The Hornets opened the day with a 25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 25-13 win over rival Roanoke College, but Lynchburg dropped the finale, 25-16, 17-25, 25-19, 25-21 to Eastern Mennonite.

Abbi Leeper led the way for the Hornets in the opener with her first double-double of the season, registering 12 kills and 11 digs. Emma Drake added a team-high 14 kills to go with five blocks, while Khoury May chipped in 10 kills, three digs, and three blocks in the victory.

The Hornets (5-7, 3-2 ODAC) started off the match on a 4-0 run on a service streak by setter Taylor Breeden before the Maroons stormed back to make the first set a close one. Breeden went on another serving run next time through the rotation to open up a 16-11 lead, and the Hornets closed out the set for an early lead.

After RC took the second set, Lynchburg again used an early run to take control of the third and led the set wire-to-wire, finishing on a kill by Drake.

The Hornets controlled the clinching fourth in much the same manner, stringing together a 5-0 run on Nicole Brice's service streak as a Maroons attack error put a stamp on the victory. Breeden finished with a season-high 25 assists and matched her season best with three aces, while the Hornet front line piled up 14 blocks, led by Brice's six.

It was Lynchburg third-straight win over their rivals from Salem and the Hornets' fifth win in their last six times out against Roanoke.

The nightcap didn't go so well for Lynchburg. EMU took the first set, 25-16, in convincing fashion, but the Hornets battled back to win 25-17 in the second, paced by four of May's team-high 14 kills. The Royals took control in the end to win the final two sets, holding Lynchburg to just a .061 attack percentage and collecting 15 blocks in the match.

Leeper added 11 more kills in the second time out, and Breeden pitched in a double-double with 19 assists and 15 digs, as did setter Mya Green (12 assists, 10 digs). Brice made four more blocks to run her total on the day to nine.

EMU swept Roanoke in the middle match of the tri.

Lynchburg will take a few days for Fall Break before returning home Wednesday night at 6:30 against another ODAC rival, defending conference champion Washington and Lee.

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--LYN--