NEWBERRY, S.C. - Sophomore Jessica Lipsi (Columbia, S.C.) produced 14 kills, 14 digs, and three blocks to lead Newberry College over Mars Hill College, 31-29, 30-27, 30-25, in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action Saturday at Eleazer Arena.

Newberry (7-10, 2-6 SAC) limited Mars Hill (10-12, 1-6 SAC) to a .075 hitting percentage for the match, holding the edge in both blocks (seven to five) and digs (76 to 71).

Game one was tightly contested, with no team leading by more than three points throughout.  Tied at 24 all, Mars Hill extended to 28-25 and was poised to move to game point until Morgan Crisp's (Maggie Valley, N.C.) kill was reversed into a hitting error call by virtue of striking the net antenna.  The visitors led 29-26, but both Mars Hill timeouts could not interrupt five straight Indian points for the Newberry win, 31-29.

The Lions shot out of the gate in game two, going up 9-4 to seize the largest lead of the game.  The Lady Indians fought back to even at 17 apiece, scored the 18th point, and would never trail again in the set.  Mars Hill rebounded to knot the score at 27, but two kills by Adriane Miler (Summerville, S.C.) and Jamie Foster-Mann (Painted Post, N.Y.) put the game on ice.

With Newberry leading 7-5 in the final frame, the Lions put together a 10-4 run to lead by four midway through the game.  The home team ran off six consecutive points to go ahead 17-15, but Mars Hill would catch up to tie four times.  At 25-all, Newberry once again scored five unanswered points to shut out the Lions.

Mars Hill's Sarah Nash (Louisville, Ky.) tied Lipsi with 14 kills, and was the only other player with double digits in the category.  Tiffany Oreka (Chesapeake, Va.), Nash, and Aubrey Adams (Oklahoma City, Okla.) led the way defensively with 19, 15 and 10 kills, respectively.

Four Indians found themselves with double-digit kills: libero Kelly Harting (Ohio City, Ohio; 19); Amanda Van Pelt (Linville, N.C.) and Lipsi had 14; and Alicia Khoury (Toledo, Ohio) notched 13 to accompany 36 assists.  Freshman Cara Coleman (Allentown, Pa.) played a good all-around game with eight kills, five blocks, five digs, and a service ace.

Newberry travels to Francis Marion University next Tuesday for a 7 p.m. contest, and Mars Hill will host conference opponent Lenoir-Rhyne at that time.