JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's beach volleyball team split its two matches Sunday to close out this weekend's double-round robin event at Carson-Newman University.
Tusculum dropped a 3-2 rematch with Eastern Kentucky University in Sunday morning's first match. TU bounced back with a thrilling 3-2 win over host Carson-Newman to wrap up a 3-1 record in Jefferson City this weekend.
The Pioneers improve to 7-10 overall for the season and will host Lincoln Memorial University on Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the program's inaugural home beach event.
Eastern Kentucky 3, Tusculum 2
The EKU Colonels rallied from a set down to win No. 2 and No. 4 doubles to post a 3-2 victory over Tusculum, avenging Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Pioneers.
EKU's No. 5 tandem of Clairissa Hankinson and Mikayla Logan won 21-19, 21-10 over Tusculum's Katelyn Weems and Jordan Zaleski. TU tied the match at 1-1 with a win at the third flight as Marissa Morgan and Lana Vujosevic won in in straight sets (21-16, 21-11) over the EKU duo of Maria Ferragonio and Kaylin Johnson.
At the fourth flight, EKU's Rachel Woody and Kennedy Wilson lost the opening set to TU's Lydia Collins and Catherine Clingan 21-11. But the Eastern pairing bounced back winning the second set 21-16 and the deciding frame 17-15.
Eastern clinched the match at No. 2 doubles with an 18-21, 21-13, 15-11 win to seal the match.
Tusculum's top-flight team of Melissa Mazur and Haley Davis won their game in straight sets (21-12, 21-11) to round out the scoring.
Tusculum 3, Carson-Newman 2
In a battle of the two East Tennessee rivals, Mazur and Davis broke a 2-2 tie and won a three-set battle at the top flight for the deciding point in the Pioneers 3-2 win over the Eagles.
Mazur and Davis went a perfect 4-0 on the weekend including Sunday's 21-18, 19-21, 15-6 triumph over Summer Coulter and Abby Struewing as TU posted its fourth win over Carson-Newman this year.
Tusculum jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Weems and Zaleski won 21-15, 21-13 at the No. 5 flight. C-N forged ahead winning in straight sets at No. 3 and No. 4 doubles as the hosts led 2-1.
The Tusculum duo of Skyellar Hall and Gabby Gray captured a key point at the second flight with their 21-18, 21-7 win over Grace Seymour and Morgan Siwiec to tie the match at 2-2 to set the drama for the top flight.