Tusculum's repeat hopes stay alive in SAC Beach Challenge

Tusculum's repeat hopes stay alive in SAC Beach Challenge

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University beach volleyball team made a clean sweep on opening day of the annual SAC Beach Challenge, defeating both Lincoln Memorial and Catawba 5-0 for the second time this season.

Tusculum (17-9) hosts the finale of the SAC Beach Challenge on Saturday (Apr. 9), facing archrival Carson-Newman at 1 p.m. for a chance at a title repeat.

Match 1: Tusculum 5, Lincoln Memorial 0
Landry Tea and Britney Shawel provided the clinching-point as the No. 3 flight to complete the season sweep of the Railsplitters.

The duo won by identical 21-13, 21-13 set scores.

Katie McLamb and Olivia Knutson continued their remarkable debut season with a 21-12, 21-12 victory over their LMU opposites at No. 4.

The senior 5's of Skyellar Hall and Emily Lawless put the Pioneers up 2-0 with a 21-14, 21-18 decision.

Haley Davis and Charlyn Miller made quick work of their second flight foes, 21-12, 21-8.

Olivia O'Keefe and Emma Johnson pulled off the reverse sweep in the top flight to blank the Railplitters: 15-21, 21-12, 15-7.

Match 2: Tusculum 5, Catawba 0
Johnson and O'Keefe sealed the victory in their top flight outing over the Catawba Indians, 21-8, 21-15.

McLamb and Knutson put the first point on the board for TU as the No. 4 pair tallied a 21-9, 21-12 showing.

Diana Bierwagen and Arizona Webb tagged in for a victory in the No. 5 slot, 21-8, 21-18.

Shawel and Tea handled their opposites at 3's in a 21-15, 21-14 outcome.

The No. 2 pairing of Davis and Miller closed out the sweep with their 21-11, 21-13 win.