GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University men's volleyball team is scheduled to host a tri-match for the second-straight year. Friday's (Mar. 5) triple-header will feature Bluefield College and Erskine, alongside the home Pioneers.
RECAPPING THE WEEK
Tusculum (0-6) played two matches last weekend. The Pioneers fell to Limestone in four sets, but went the distance at Queens, dropping the five-setter to the Royals. Multiple program and career records were broken in the latter.
Caleb Slater played a well-rounded game, leading the team in kills (21) on a .515 hitting percentage and total blocks (7). Shaphar Grant also stood out with 18 kills on a nearly .300 average. Dane Loup (16), Hunter Walck (15), and Shaun Kampshoff (15) also reached double-digit kills. Lucas Blanco dished out 76 assists on a 8.44 per set rate, while Kampshoff landed a team-best three service aces. Walck and Slater each collected a pair as well. As last week's libero, Peter Stewart dug up 23 attack attempts, followed by 15 from Loup and 12 by Blanco. Aside from Slater's impressive outings at the net, Grant is credited with five block assists, all at Queens, and Blanco added five total blocks (two solo, three assists).
In the national rankings, Tusculum is 18th in the NCAA in aces per set (1.25) and 25th in digs per set (8.12).
Individually, Slater ranks 11th nationally with 1.05 blocks per set. Taylor Phillips' 2.00 digs per set average is good for 23rd, while Blanco's 8.33 assists per set is 24th. Grant's .319 hitting percentage is 25th throughout the NCAA.
LOOKING AHEAD
Bluefield (4-6) will travel to conference opponent Thomas More University tonight before heading to Tusculum for Friday's tri-match. The Rams offense is dominated by three players with over 70 kills: Jariel Diaz (80), Leonel Fernandez (79), and Alberto Chiaparini (75). Diaz is firing on a .308 hitting percentage. Colby Mutter leads on the serving front with 15 aces. Devon Robinson, Chiaparini, and Fernandez have each landed 11. Mutter also heads up the dig category with 108, a 3.09 per set rate. General Smith has made an impact at the net with 18 total blocks (four solo, 14 assists).
Erskine (6-6) is set to spend the weekend in Tennessee. The Flying Fleet will step onto the Lincoln Memorial campus Thursday night before taking part in TU's tri-match on Friday. Jacob Whyte leads the way with 110 kills, followed by Edgerrin Austin (89), and Kacper Rybarczyk (87). Juan Alcoba has accounted for 323 assists at a 8.28 per set pace. Rybarczyk and Whyte top the ace column with 19 and 14, respectively. Additionally, the pair have notched 55 and 54 digs as the team leaders. Jon Fuller has a team-high 35 total blocks (six solo, 29 assists).
Links to live stats and video for Tusculum University athletic events can be found through tusculumpioneers.com.
ATTENDANCE POLICIES
At this time, no fans of visiting teams are permitted at any Tusculum University venue. The full TU athletic attendance policy can be found here.
