JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. --- Rhayne Smitherman tallied 16 kills and Ashley Sarmiento recorded a double-double with 42 assists and 20 digs to lead the Tusculum College volleyball team to a 3-1 South Atlantic Conference win at Carson-Newman College Tuesday night at Holt Fieldhouse.

The Pioneers (19-5, 13-2 SAC) won the match by scores of 22-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-15 as Tusculum completes the season sweep over the Lady Eagles (14-8, 8-7 SAC).

TC's Sam Underwood finished with a dozen kills and five digs, Bailee Price added 15 digs, while Caitlyn Dean led all players with a match-high 23 digs in the win.

Carly Mozgai posted 18 kills and eight digs, while the setter duo of Lara McDonald and Courtney Lawson dished out 22 and 20 assists, respectively. Angelle Hayes recorded 19 digs, while McDonald finished with 13 to complete here double-double.

The teams battled to a 21-21 tie in the first set before C-N outscored the Pioneers 4-1 the rest of the way and won the frame on a kill by McDonald.

After the Lady Eagles scored the first point of the second set, Tusculum went on a 4-0 run to take the lead for good. The Pioneers led by as many as six points (20-14) late in the set. C-N was able to trim Tusculum's lead to 20-17, but Tusculum outscored the Lady Eagles 5-4 and closed out the set on a C-N attack error.

After playing to a 16-16 tie in the third set, Tusculum took control and went on a 9-4 run and won the set, 25-20, thanks to a pair of Underwood kills and a kill by Alyssa Raterman on set point.

The Pioneers claimed the match with a 25-15 win in the fourth on the strength of a .393 hitting percentage. TC utilized a 12-4 spurt down the stretch, including four straight points by Price and kills by Smitherman and Raterman to close out the match.

Tusculum returns home this Friday for 7 p.m. league match against Newberry College. The match has been designated Senior Night as the Pioneers will honor their lone senior, Allyson Ray.

- TC -