SALISBURY, N.C. --- The Tusculum University beach volleyball team finalized its 2021 campaign at the SAC Beach Challenge with a tournament championship, capped off by Saturday's (May 1) victories over hosting Catawba and archrival Carson-Newman. The Pioneers (7-9) end their season winning four of the last five, including all three at the two-day event.
The pairings finished in reverse order (2, 4, 6, 1, 5, 3) and competed in two waves (evens and odds).
Match 1: Tusculum 3, Catawba 2
In the team's first-ever meeting, the Pioneers shot out to a 3-0 lead as the top flight provided the match-clinching third point.
The freshmen No. 2 pair of Olivia O'Keefe and Charlyn Miller also won in straight sets (21-10, 21-19), while Emily Lawless and Skyellar Hall at the fourth flight edged out a 21-15, 16-21, 15-8 decision.
The exhibition sixth flight duo (Madalyn Bass and Destiny Ramsey) fell 21-12, 21-13.
Haley Davis and Emma Johnson eked out a 22-20 first set score and responded with a 21-13 showing to seal the TU victory at No. 1.
Mabry Ward and Arizona Webb were downed 21-15, 21-17 as the 5's.
Britney Shawel and Diana Bierwagen took their No. 3 flight opposition to a decisive third set, but came up just short (22-20, 17-21, 7-15).
Match 2: Tusculum 4, Carson-Newman 1
With the win, the Pioneers now hold a 7-1 all-time advantage in the series history over the Eagles. The 5's battled for a three-set victory to seal the perfect weekend.
O'Keefe and Miller went 3-0 in the tournament, bookended by a 21-11, 21-17 triumph.
Lawless and Hall fell for the first time at the event by the tightest of margins in the fourth flight, 20-22, 22-20, 13-15.
Bass and Ramsey also dropped their exhibition match by a 21-18, 21-14 score.
Davis and Johnson collected their fifth-straight win in the top flight via a 24-22, 21-16 victory.
Senior Webb had a storybook ending to her collegiate career. She and partner Ward provided the championship-clinching point in a thrilling reverse sweep: 15-21, 21-18, 15-6.
Shawel and Bierwagen wrapped up the weekend with a 21-16, 21-18 win as the No. 3 pair.
