COLUMBIA, Ky. – In a meeting of the top attacking teams in the Mid-South Conference on Monday evening, the visiting University of the Cumberlands Patriots outlasted the Lindsey Wilson volleyball team in four sets.

With plus-.300 hitting percentages in three of the match's four frames, Cumberlands' relentless offense proved too much for the hosts, and a strong showing defensively only aided their efforts.

Blue Raider setter Luiza Goncalves turned in a career night with 44 assists and 15 digs. The sophomore also added three kills and three blocks. Most of her passes were met by Madison Bidwell and Lindamara Conceicao with 16 and 12 kills, respectively. For Bidwell, it is her highest output offensively since April 27, 2021, when she also had 16 kills in a match against Concordia (Neb.).

From the opening serve, the kills came early and often for both sides. Of the 46 points accumulated in the first set, 33 were successful attacks. At one moment, the Patriots led by as many as six thanks to consecutive kills, only for Lindsey Wilson to strike back with two of its own to eventually trim the deficit down to three, but no further.

In the second set, Cumberlands led 3-1 early, but a service error followed by a kill from Ola Wyrzykowska quickly knotted the score at 3-3. From there, the points were traded back and forth until a strike by Elizabeth Moore sent the Blue Raiders off on a 15-4 run. Even as the Patriots found some life towards the end, another laser hit from Moore solidified the set for Lindsey Wilson, 25-16.

The third frame came down to the wire, with an overturned call down the stretch pulling the momentum out of the Blue Raiders' hands. What would have been a set point for the home side was ultimately replayed and won by the Patriots, tying the score at 23-23. Cumberlands then tallied three of the next four points to squeeze out a 26-24 set win and take an all-important 2-1 lead in the match.

The action was tight to start the fourth, though the visitors continued to push their unyielding attack and built a four-point cushion that later expanded to eight behind a 6-2 stretch to close out the match.

Lindsey Wilson resumes its three-game week at 6 p.m. CST on Thursday when Bethel (Tenn.) comes to Columbia.